


Returning Desires

by Fauxlyx



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Afterlife, Amnesia, Death, Ghosts, Magic, Murder, Nonbinary, Nonbinary Apprentice (The Arcana), Other, Plague, Rape, Red Plague (The Arcana), Romance, Smut, Violcence, nonbinary sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-04
Updated: 2020-03-10
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:47:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 6
Words: 27,355
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22553482
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fauxlyx/pseuds/Fauxlyx
Summary: Violca should hate Lucio—he stole their body, he's trying tokillthem, but their memories have slowly been returning, ever since the day that Asra took them to the Lazaret. Despite everything, they can't stop themself when they begin to run, the urge to save Lucio's life stronger than anything they've ever felt—but will that be a mistake, or the best decision they've ever made?*Underage is a short flashback only.
Relationships: Apprentice/Lucio (The Arcana), Lucio (The Arcana)/Original Character(s)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 26





	1. Memories Forgotten

**Author's Note:**

> This story spins off from Asra's route, taking a very different path than the original. It's been a while since I've read his route, but I tried to get the beginning scene as close as I could.
> 
> This story does spoil some backstory details about Violca, although some of them have been altered a little bit.
> 
> The underage tag is for a very brief flashback, and is not very detailed.

I stare as that golden hand—those golden claws—rip through the portal, Lucio forcing his way into the magical realms with a smirk on his face. _How...!?_

Asra grabs my hand, detailing a plan as he drags me away—I’m too busy with my _own_ thoughts to really comprehend the entire plan. Something about a black lake, and forcing him to abandon my body.

We run, and run, for what seems like forever, Lucio on our heels the entire way, until we come to a black lake, just like Asra had been describing—it’s frozen over, but the ice looks _thin_. “Asra...”

“Just trust me, Vi.”

I nod, letting him drag me onto it, following close behind as he guides me to the other side. Once we’re across, I notice that Lucio is glaring at us, his attention shifting between me and the precarious ice before him.

Impatiently, he steps onto the ice, one step, and then another, slowly making his way onto the lake.

I stare as Lucio stalks toward Asra and I, onto the black ice, memories suddenly flooding back—memories from _before_. _I remember_. I gasp, meeting his furious gaze, and then rush forward.

“Vi, no!” Asra tries to grasp my hand, but I shirk him off, running across the ice.

 _I can’t let this happen...!_ I slip, skidding across the cracking ice on my heels, using the momentum to shove Lucio off of it, just in time for it to shatter beneath me. My eyes meet his, _just_ as I’m pulled under, just as he lands on solid ground, and just as the beasts that had been spiraling hungrily beneath the surface latch onto me, pulling me down. _What was it that Asra said...? You can’t escape the water once you’re pulled under... I’m going to die..._

“Violca!”

I hear my name in twofold, two voices, but only see one splash, a shadow diving toward me as the darkness of the water and pain of the beasties' bites steal my consciousness from me...

I groan, reaching up to my forehead as I shake my head. I’m _freezing_ , soaking wet, and I’m curled up against something solid and warm. At first I think it’s Asra, but as the memory of what happened returns to me, I realise that it _can’t_ be—I jump back, staring at a just-awakening Lucio, _terrified_ , for a moment, until his eyes slip open, his gaze meeting mine.

“ _You’re okay..._ ”

“I—” I continue to stare, nodding slowly, the only reason I don’t pull away completely being his hands clenched tight against my back. “W-why...?”

“Shouldn’t _I_ be the one to ask _you_ that...? Why did you try to save me...? I was trying to _kill you_.”

“I...” I hesitate, and then exhale. “I remember...”

“Remember...?”

I dive back into his arms, burying my face against his chest. “I couldn’t let you die... You were my _friend_...”

“Friend...? What—what are you talking about?”

I open my eyes again, frowning when I pull back to meet his gaze. “You don’t remember me...?”

“What are you _talking_ about...?” He sits up, pulling away from me, glaring down at me with his arms crossed. “I don’t _know_ you.”

“You _raised_ me! I—”

“Raised...” His eyes go wide, looking at me with new intensity. “ _You_.”

“I—”

“ _You_ were that little orphan...!”

I nod, my smile returning. “I—I don’t remember _everything_ , yet, but... I remember... You brought me home with you...”

“Ohh... _Violca..._ ” He grins, dropping his hands to the ground, and then crawls toward me, pushing me back down against the dirt. “ _I missed you—!_ ”

My heart does a flip at the look in his eyes. “Lucio—”

“Why didn’t you come home!?” He leans in, pressing his cheek to mine. “ _I was literally dying to see you again._ ”

I choke on a laugh, shoving at him. “T-that’s not funny...! I don’t even know what you mean...!”

He sits up, practically sitting in my lap, staring down into my eyes. “How much do you remember...? What _happened_...?”

“I... I remember arriving at the palace with you... But then... It’s blank... Until...” There’s a flash of fire in my memory, the things I’d recovered back at the Lazaret returning once more. “Until I died...”

“Died... You died...!?”

I nod, glancing away, looking off into the pitch-black forest. “I had the plague... I died.”

“When?”

I shake my head. “I think... I only remember the past three years... I think it was...” I pause, trying to do the math. “About four years ago...?”

“Four...” His heartbreak is visible in his eyes as he stares down at me again, his hand coming up to cup my cheek. “No wonder you never came home...” He flops down, lying on the ground beside me, his head on my chest. “That explains why you became a ghost when I got my body back...”

“ _My_ body.” I pout, poking his shoulder. “You took it.”

“I technically didn’t take it!” He looks up at me, an innocent frown on his lips. “The Devil did... I didn’t know he was going to take _yours_... Until he said you’d stolen it from me...”

“I didn’t!” I fidget, trying to get off from under him. “How could I have? I was _dead...!_ ”

“I don’t know...!” He meets my gaze again, pushing up just slightly, his face coming to mine. “I don’t know _anything_ about that magic crap... That’s why—” He cuts off, realisation forming in his eyes. “Asra. That little rat. _He_ did this. This is all _his_ fault...!”

“What...?”

“I’d hired him to help me get a new body...! But then I died and _you_ got a new body...!”

I realise what he’s getting at, not that it makes much sense to me. “Why...? Why would he do that...?”

“I don’t know—can’t you make your memories come back faster...?”

I shake my head. “It’s been weeks since the last time, it could take forever before they’re all back...” I shiver, wrapping my arms around myself, and remember something—both Lucio and I are _soaked_.

“You’re cold...”

“W-we’re wet...” I go to roll into his arms, but he sits up again, holding me down with one hand. “Stop—”

“It’s warm enough here, we should just get out of these wet clothes.” He smirks, his eyes dipping across me.

“B-but—” I swallow, gasping when he grasps the first buttons on my cincher. “W-we’d be _naked_...”

“That’s the _point_. We’ll dry _faster_ if we’re not wearing _wet clothes_... We’re going to catch a cold like this...” He frowns, popping the last few buttons off and tossing the fabric aside, his fingers working to unbutton my shirt, now. “I only _just_ got you back, I’m not going to have you catching your death of pneumonia.”

I giggle as he rips the rest of the buttons open, baring me down to my corset. “S-stop—I—y-you’re—”

“Oh come now, I’ve seen you naked before, you’ve seen _me_. What’s the big deal?”

“I—I don’t _remember that!_ ” I blush, rolling away before he gets to the third button. “W-we need a fire...”

“Right...” He grasps my shoulder, pushing me to sit when I try to stand, and then stands, himself. “I’ll get it.”

“D-do you even have matches...?”

“No, but, uh... I can manage it...” He wanders off to the edge of the woods, gathering all the twigs and sticks he can.

I watch for a minute, and then look up to the sky—it _is_ warm here... And there’s a bright, full moon, the only light visible from wherever we’ve been stranded, the rest of the world beyond the treeline a few feet away blackened too much to see. _He’s not as bad as he seemed before... I don’t think so, at least..._ My eyes drift back onto him—he smirks over at me, his arms full of wood, and then wanders back to my side.

“This should be enough for a while.” He dumps it all on the ground, his attempt at stacking the wood pathetic at best. “Now...” He wiggles his hands—at first I have no idea what he’s doing, and then sparks fly in all directions, enough of them hitting the dried wood to catch it aflame.

“Y-you can use magic...!?”

“J-just that...” He turns pink, but he’s smiling when he looks back at me. “That’ll keep you nice and warm. Now let’s get the rest of those wet clothes off of you, shall we?” He crawls back over to me, a hungry little look in his eyes. “You’re an adult now... Maybe we can have some _fun_ , too.”

“F-fun...?”

“Yeah, you know...” He stares at me for a minute, his smirk falling away. “You... _Don’t_ know...” He sighs, disappointment in his eyes. “You _really_ don’t remember anything...?”

I shake my head, holding his gaze. “Just what I told you... Lucio...”

“What?”

“Why...?”

“Why what?”

“Why did you jump in after me!?” I frown, crawling the short distance between us so I can touch his cheek. “I was trying to _save you_...”

“I dunno—I just... I couldn’t... Let you drown... We’re fine, aren’t we?” He stares blankly, his hand coming up over mine. “You’re alive, I’m alive, we both win!”

“I don’t think we’re alive...”

“What? Why?”

“Asra said... That nothing comes back out of that lake alive...” My heart sinks as the truth of the situation hits me. “I think we’re dead.”

“What? That’s nonsense—we just have to wait until morning, and then we can find our way out of this damn place and get back to the palace. Easy—”

“Lucio...!” I frown, shaking my head as I cut him off. “I don’t think it’s that easy...!”

He stares at me again, his face relaxing as his eyes dip to my lips. “Vi...”

I only realise how close we are when his lips meet mine—I squeak, but his gauntlet threads into my hair, holding me against him as he deepens it, his tongue seeking mine out as it slides between my lips. _He’s kissing me...!_ I stare for a second, but it’s hard to keep my eyes open—they slide closed, and I practically melt into his arms, returning his kiss. _Lucio is kissing me..._ I blush when he pulls away, burrowing against his chest. “W-why did you do that...?”

“I wanted to.” He smirks again when I look up at him, laughing when I re-bury my face against him. “Oh, like you haven’t wanted that for a _long_ time.”

“H-have I...?” I go to look up again, but he’s already pulling me away, pushing me back against the ground. “W-what are you—”

“Shh—we still need to get these wet clothes off of us.” He pops the buttons on my corset, baring my chest, and tosses the fabric aside like he had with my other tops, his eyes lingering on my breasts. “Damn, you’ve grown up.” He grins after a moment, his hand hesitating just before touching my skin. “Vi—”

“W-why are you hesitating...?”

He chuckles, his hand falling onto my breast the moment I say that. “Ohh—you don’t realise how _long_ it’s been since I’ve felt another person...” He exhales, clenching his hand into a fist as he pulls it off of my skin, and then begins working his _own_ clothes off, kind of a spectacle as he works around his golden arm.

“Why don’t you just take that off...?”

“I—no. You don’t wanna see me without it, trust me.”

“Why...? I don’t _care_. I pretty much know what to expect...”

“It’s different than pictures, Vi. It’s not...” He shakes his head, his cheeks flushing, a sadness coming to his eyes. “I don’t _want_ to take it off, okay?”

I reach out, taking ahold of his hand. “I wouldn’t judge you, you know.”

“I—I know that—you’re... The only one...”

“I don’t think _anyone_ cares what you look like without it—”

“I—” He stares at me, and then laughs. “Right. You don’t remember...”

“Remember what...?” I stare back at him, using his hand as leverage to sit up. “Did people _really_ judge you for _that...?_ ”

“They wouldn’t _dare_.” Lucio glares at me for a moment, but it softens into a smirk. “No one was _that_ stupid. They at _least_ care about their _own_ lives.”

“You’d have killed them...?”

“ _You would have, too._ ”

“Me!?”

“Yeah.” He dips in, pressing a kiss to my cheek. “ _You were deadlier than I ever was._ ”

“What!?” I stare at the side of his head, my heart twisting. “I—I’ve never—I’ve killed someone!?”

He nods, kissing my cheek again, and then sits up, his smirk sharp as he meets my gaze. “More than just one, darling.” He chuckles, sighing as he crosses his arms, eyes closing with the memory. “Your little crush made you _fierce_.”

“Crush!?” I blush, leaning away from him. “W-what are you—”

“Oh, like I didn’t know. It was so _obvious_. No one _else_ ever defended me or my honour like _that_ —you’re the _only_ one to ever pick up a blade when someone tried to insult me. It was _adorable_ , you were, ah... _Ten...?_ The first time.”

“I really killed people...?”

He meets my gaze, a cruel, longing look in his eyes. “If you had been an adult, I’d have married you then and there.” He winks, his eyes dipping down to my body again, lingering on my breasts. “You’re what, 22, now?”

I nod, unconsciously lifting my arms across my breasts to cover them. “W-why do you keep staring at me...?”

“You’re...” He squints, reaching to pull me closer, and twists me around, checking me over. “You’re not hurt...?”

“W-why—” I cut off, remembering when I fell in the lake— _I was bitten by the creatures._ I stare into his glittering eyes, and then shift, looking down at myself. “I—I guess not...?”

“Weird.” He grins, smoothing his hands across my bare skin, and then sliding them around my hips, to the tie of my pants. “Let’s get the rest of these wet clothes off you, shall we?”

I giggle, my hands finding his. “Lucio...!” I blush up at him as he pulls the strings loose, not fighting it when he pushes me back to the ground again, tugging my pants and boots off of me. “Y-you’ve really seen me before...?”

“I mean, it was a decade ago, but, yeah.” He smiles up at me, his hands lifting to his belt as he sits up. “You were just a kid then...” He pulls his belt off, and then unties his pants. “ _I never actually considered doing this with you before..._ ” His words are mumbled, but his eyes never leave mine.

“D-doing _what...?_ ”

“I—damn it’s hard to keep track of what you can and can’t remember...” He sighs, and then smirks at the blush that paints my cheeks when his pants drop from his hips. “ _I’m going to make love to you—_ ” He shifts, tugging his boots off, and then tosses them and his pants aside before crawling back over top of me. “It was the _farthest_ thing from my mind with _you_...” His eyes drift over my bare form, his lips parting with his grin. “But now... Ahh... You’ve gotten _beautiful_ since then...”

“I—I still don’t get what we’re supposedly doing...”

“You still trust me, right?”

“S-still? I—” I stare at him, crossing my arms over my stomach. “I _barely_ remember you...” I glance away, but his hand finds my cheek, making me look up at him again.

“You obviously still care about me—you _did_ save me, after all.”

“W-well, yeah, b-but...”

“I wouldn’t hurt you—”

“You were trying to _kill me_.”

“I—t-that’s—I didn’t know who you were...! If I’d known... Vi, I’d _never_... Not _you_.” He leans in, pressing his lips to mine. “ _You’ve always been special._ ” He deepens the touch into a kiss, his hands sliding down to my thighs, guiding my legs around his hips. “I won’t hurt you, Vi, I promise.” He sits up, looking between us, taking his anatomy into his hand. “I want you, but...”

I gaze up at him, my face flushed, and then look down to where his hand is, to where our bodies are nearly connected. _I think I might get it..._ My eyes drift back to his, and when I nod, he grins again, brushing himself against me.

“ _I promise, I’ll make you feel amazing._ ” He exhales, and then pushes against me, connecting our bodies with a moan.

I moan, too, a small gasp of shock at the sensation. _Oh my—_ I moan again as he begins moving his hips, my hands sliding to the ground on either side of me, clutching at the dirt and tufts of grass. “ _Lucio—_ ”

He goes to laugh, but it turns into a groan of pleasure, his eyes glimmering as he gazes down at me. “ _I knew you’d like this—_ ” He leans in, his hands sliding onto my breasts, his lips a breath away from mine. “ _Moan for me—_ ”

I do—the shift in his motion sends a jolt through my body, and when my head tilts, our lips meet. I lift my arms, wrapping them around him, my nails digging into the soft skin of his back.

Lucio doesn’t hesitate to steal the kiss, his tongue finding mine again as he draws another whimper from me. “ _My little whore—_ ”

I open my eyes—suddenly, it’s not _Lucio_ on top of me, and my heart does a flip as I try to pull away. _Who the hell is this man!?_ I whimper as he holds me down, turning my head away from him.

“Don’t be _shy_ , little whore— _my_ cock is bigger than Monty’s, just _enjoy_ it!”

“G-get off—” I flail, or rather, I attempt to, but the man’s hold on my wrists grows tighter as he thrusts into me, over and over, harder and harder.

“Montag is _never_ going to get his hands on you again, little whore—”

“Q-quit calling me that!” I sob, squeezing my eyes shut.

He grasps my chin, forcing me to meet his bloodied gaze. “That’s what you are—but you’re not _Monty’s_ little whore anymore—you’re _mine_.”

“No—” I clench my jaw as he leans in, squeezing my eyes shut again—

—and then I find myself wrapped in a pair of mismatched arms, pressed tight against a warm, firm chest. “Vi—snap out of it—”

I’m trembling—slowly, I lift my gaze, flinching at the red in Lucio’s eyes, tears coming to mine. “I—”

“What happened...? Did I hurt you—?”

“N-no—! I—” I shake my head, burrowing against him again. “ _I—I’m not a whore..._ ”

“I— _I won’t call you that again_...”

“N-not you...”

“Huh?”

“H-he...” I try to look up, but I can’t bring myself to lift my face away from his warmth. “I didn’t—he was—”

“Who’s _he_ , Vi?”

I take a breath, trying to focus on the feeling of his hand rubbing my back, trying to make sense of the memories that just came back. “I think... He was my uncle...?” I shake my head. “I don’t know... He...” I pull back, meeting Lucio’s gaze, trying not to flinch at his bloodied eyes. “He called me _Monty’s little whore..._ I don’t...”

Lucio freezes, his arms tightening around me. “More memories came back...?”

I nod. “Y-you weren’t there... I—”

“Your aunt claimed you when you were 12, Vi, I couldn’t exactly keep you... You weren’t an orphan anymore...” His eyes are so sad right now, as he stares into mine. “You mean her husband...?”

I nod again. “He was... I... He...”

His eyes narrow, inspecting me, attempting to pry past my walls and see into my thoughts. “What happened? _What did he do?_ ”

“W-what we just... He was... I didn’t want to—he—”

“Vi...” He squeezes me, burying his face into my hair. “ _I’ll kill him_.”

I shake my head, this time, wrapping my arms around him. “H-he had the plague...”

“Is that how you got it...?”

I nuzzle against him, my nails digging into his back again. “I don’t think so...” My breath quivers, and I pull away, looking up into his eyes again. “S-sorry... I...”

“Don’t apologise, Vi, _you_ didn’t do anything wrong.” He smiles, bringing his lips to my cheek again. “I take it you aren’t up to finishing?”

I stare at the side of his head, blushing as he kisses my cheek. “Finishing... I...”

“It’s okay—”

“I want to...” I try not to look away when he pulls back, holding his gaze as he stares at me in awe. “I-it felt good with _you_... N-not like when...” I end up looking away anyway.

“Oh, Vi...” Lucio squeezes me, pressing another kiss to my cheek, and then flops down onto his back. “Let’s try it this way, then.”

I turn red, staring down at him. “W-what...?”

“This way, you’re in control. No one’s hurting you.”

“Y-you weren’t hurting me...” I swallow softly as he grasps my hips, pushing me down over top of him. “I—I have _no idea_ what to even do...!”

“It’s easy, just relax.” He smiles, his hand leaving my hip to reach beneath me, his anatomy—his _cock_ —brushing against me. “Just let it slide in—”

I stare at him, my cheeks still burning, but nod, a squeak leaving me as he begins to slide inside me again. “ _Ah—_ ” _He feels good..._ I fidget, my hands planting on his chest, gazing down at him as his smile turns back into a smirk. “ _Lucio—_ ”

“All you have to do is move your hips, however you’d like.” He winks, demonstrating by moving my hips _for me_ with his hands.

“ _A-ahh—_ ” I moan, twisting my hips, and then begin to move, just like he’d showed me, unable to stop the little noises that keep escaping me. _Like an hour ago I never would have imagined I’d be this close to him...!_ I twist a little, the noise that it draws from his lips turning my entire face red. “W-why would you have wanted to kill me when we could have just been doing _this!?_ ” Another moan escapes me, and he laughs, reaching up to thread his fingers in my hair.

“ _That_ is a good question.” He groans, pulling my head down, making me lean in closer to him. “You’re right”—he lifts himself up, pressing a kiss to my forehead—“instead of killing anyone ever again, I’ll just fuck them all—”

I turn red as he laughs, staring into his shining eyes. “F-fuck...?”

“You... Don’t know that word...?”

I shake my head, leaning in to bury my face against his chest. “T-that’s the first time I’ve ever heard it...”

“It’s not, Vi—” He groans, his hands sliding onto my hips to keep me moving. “I can’t wait until you can remember, this innocence doesn’t suit you.”

“I don’t know _how_ to remember...!” I nuzzle in, and then lift my gaze, watching the flame reflect in his eyes. “It just _happens_...” I gasp as he shifts, flipping me onto my back, and then stare up at him. “W-what are you...”

“I wish I could say _fucking you properly_ , but, uh, we’d need a _bed_ for that.” He chuckles, shifting to connect us again, groaning as he slides back inside me for the third time. “I _promise_ , darling, as _soon_ as we’re back home, safe and comfy in the palace, I’ll give you the _royal treatment_.” He jerks his hips, drawing a cry from my lips, and then seals his over top them, his tongue dancing across mine. “ _Mm..._ ” His golden claws sink into my hip, hard enough that they break the skin, making me sob into our kiss.

I fidget, tears in my eyes, looking down when he pulls away. “T-that—” I cut off, watching as the wound seals over, as if it had never been there. “What...?”

“Well that’s not normal.” Lucio stares, too, and then chuckles. “Ohh, this is going to be _fun_.” He draws his claws gently up my front, and then tips my chin up with the point of his index finger. “You up for a little pain, darling?”

I blush again, but before I even answer, he’s let go of my chin, his claw scratching down my throat. I squeak, another cry slipping from my lips, but before the cut seals shut, his mouth is on it, licking the blood away. My moan trembles at the sensation, the _mixed_ sensations, the pain, the pleasure, him... And then the pain goes away, and Lucio sits up, frowning down at my throat.

“Well _that_ didn’t last long enough.”

“W-why did you _do that?_ ”

He smirks again, thrusting into me hard enough to make tears come to my eyes. “It’s no fun without a _little_ pain and blood. _You are having fun, aren’t you?_ ”

I try to hold it back, but my face turns pink again, and I can’t help a giggle, although it turns into a moan. “M-more than I’ve ever had—”

“ _Good—_ ” His pace picks up, and a flutter I can’t even describe begins gnawing at my nerves—he notices, sitting up the rest of the way, grasping ahold of my hips again, his eyes glittering as they roam over my squirming body. “ _Just let it happen—_ ”

I have no idea what he means, until it _happens_ —my first instinct is to tense up, but Lucio’s hand strokes my side, relaxing me into it, and my entire body spasms, my spine arching as a desperate moan of ecstasy slips out of me. “ _Lucio—_ ”

“ _Yes—!_ _Fuck—!_ ” He groans, his thrusts growing harder, until he stops completely, his fingers digging into my hips while a warmth floods inside me.

I squeak again, fidgeting in his hold, staring at him until he opens his eyes, mine darting away when his gaze meets mine.

He sets me down gently, separating us, and crawls up over top of me, his hand finding my cheek, making me look at him again. “Vi—”

I blush, although I’m already flushed, my breath quivering as I claw at the dirt. _I feel weird—I feel empty..._ I open my lips a little more, but I don’t know what to say—he takes the moment to press his to mine, a deep, passionate kiss that steals what little breath I have away from me. I lift my hands, wrapping my arms around him, clinging when he pulls away, keeping him as close as I can.

“One isn’t enough—”

“W-what...?”

“Wanna go again?”

I stare at him as he sits up—my entire body is still spasming, and I can barely breath, but he wants to do that _again?_ “I—I might die _again_ , if we do that again...”

He laughs, flopping down beside me on the ground. “That good, huh?”

I roll onto my side, snuggling into his arms, burying my face against his chest. “I’ve never done that before... Except...” When I pause, he tightens his hold around me, nuzzling into my hair.

“ _I’m sorry..._ ”

I shake my head. “You weren’t the one that did it...”

“But if I’d just been selfish... If I’d kept you at the palace...”

“You don’t just do things for no reason, right...?” I curl up a little more, wiggling my hips as the sensation of our passion dies down inside me. “I don’t remember what happened, but... I don’t blame _you_.” I sigh, bringing one hand to my heart. _I’m so tired..._

Lucio whispers something, but I can’t make out what it is—it almost sounds like another language, but I can’t be sure.

I exhale, trying to snuggle in more than I already am, my brain quickly becoming foggy...


	2. Ghosts Of The Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Even in the afterlife, the past manages to find a way to haunt Violca and Lucio. Violca's memories are returning faster than they'd expected, but the most valuable ones refuse to unlock, only those that are painful grasping at them as they come face to face with the people that have hurt them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A few new characters are introduced this time! Violca's mother, and their perverted uncle! As well as Lucio's dad!  
> Being dead isn't all it's cracked up to be, huh?

“What the hell is this!?” There’s a voice, someone yelling, they’re _angry_ , by the sounds of it...

I’m woken up by it—at first I can’t make out what’s being said, and I nuzzle against Lucio, wishing for it to just go away... “ _I don’t wanna wake up yet..._ ” I mumble, shaking my head.

Lucio groans, squeezing me, and when I glance up, he’s glaring off behind me. “Wha—Rosie!?” He shifts, pulling me closer. “How—!?”

“The better question, _Montag_ , what the _fuck_ are you doing with _my child!?_ ”

“They’re not a child! They’re—wait— _your!?_ ” He looks down at me, meeting my gaze, but I return it with an equally questioning look.

 _Why did that person call him ‘Montag’...? Why did they say I was their child...?_ I roll in his arms, turning to see a woman, shorter than I am, but her hair is the same colour as mine used to be, her face shaped similarly to my own, and makeup done like mine and Lucio’s. I can’t figure out what to even _think_ —I just _stare_ at her. _I don’t know her._

“Rosie, they can’t be your kid—your daughter died with you, I saw—you’re dead! How are you even...”

“Monty, you dumbass!” She huffs, a sharp glare in her eyes. “ _Your_ mother saved them, she freed them before _mine_ incinerated me! Get the hell away from them! You were literally _just_ trying to kill them a few _hours ago!_ ” She takes a step forward, but when her glare meets mine, she pauses. “ _Violca—_ ”

“How the hell would you even _know that_ , Rosie?”

“I’ve been bound to them since I died, Montag—”

A flash of flame fills my vision—the rest of the conversation fades, and I find myself standing in the streets of Vesuvia, staring as a woman blasts the whitest, hottest flame I’ve ever seen from her palm, burning the woman that I _just_ met alive.

“ _I’m sorry, Violca._ ” She whispers her final words—I’m just standing here, staring, watching her burn, our eyes locked for as long as they can be, until hers are just ash in the breeze.

I feel _terrified_. I don’t _fully_ understand what I’ve just seen, but as the woman that just burned her turns to look at me, I gasp, taking off running as fast as I can, into the darkened streets and alleys of the city. I squeeze my eyes shut, and when I open them...

I’m back in Lucio’s arms, that woman, very much _not_ ash, still standing in front of us, still angry, but with a new twist of worry in her eyes.

“Violca...” She breathes my name, her eyes dipping up to Lucio’s for a moment. “He’s _dangerous_ , you need to get _away_ from him.”

“You _might_ want to reconsider your words.” I glare at her. I can’t explain the protective, defensive urge that just flooded into me, but I don’t _trust her_ —she came out of _nowhere_ , claiming to be my _mother_ , and yelling at Lucio. “Who the _hell_ do you think you are...!?”

“Your _mother_.” She steps closer, picking up our clothes, and tosses them at us. “Get _dressed_.”

I realise the fire is out when I shift, the moon still bright and high above us in the sky, but as I hug my clothes to my chest, I realise the reason it’s so bright is because _this woman has a floating ball of flame. She can use magic._

“Rosalie—”

“Get _off of them_ , Montag.”

“No!” He snaps, sitting both of us up, holding me close to his chest. “How do I know this isn’t some kind of trick? You’re probably just some _imposter...!_ I’m not letting you anywhere _near_ them!”

“You seriously don’t recognise your _girlfriend?_ We’ve known each other our whole lives!” She picks up one of his boots, tossing it at him as hard as she can—it only just misses either of us when he deflects it with his arm. “You _abandoned_ me, you _hurt_ me, I could have forgiven you, Montag, when you brought Violca home with you, I _did_ forgive you! You kept your word and took care of them...”

“Then why the fuck are you so _angry!?_ ”

“ _Because you’re sitting here naked, with my child in your arms!_ ” Her fists clench, sparks of flame smothered in her palms. “I can’t _believe you!_ You were _more_ than ready to play daddy to them when they were born, but _now_ you think it’s okay to... To...” She clenches her teeth, gasping in anger, refusing to finish her sentence. “Where in your perverted little mind do you think this is _okay_ , Monty!?”

Lucio wraps his cape around me, standing up to face her. “They’re an _adult_ , Rosie. I didn’t _force_ them to do anything, and you can’t, either!” His voice is calm, but there’s a dangerous edge behind it. “I never thought _you_ would be _that_ kind of parent—you’re going to try _controlling_ them? You’re going to deny them their rights, their desires? Are you going to deny them _love?_ ”

I blush as he speaks—it doesn’t really sound like he’s fully talking about _me_ anymore, but I can’t help it. I begin to work my corset onto my body, but I fumble with the buttons, trying to keep my attention on the two of them.

“Are you _seriously_ talking about _Morga_ right now!? She was a _great_ mother, Monty! You always just thought everything should be _handed_ to you!”

“How is it asking so much!? All I ever wanted was for her to _love me!_ Nothing I ever did was good enough! So why the fuck should I even bother _trying!?_ ”

I shrink down as they continue to argue—my memories are still spinning, trying to snap into place, and I vaguely recall living with her as a child, and seeing Lucio every so often... But they weren’t... _Together_...

“ _This_ is why I broke up with you! You only ever think about _yourself!_ ”

“Well _someone_ has to! No one else ever seems to care! You gotta look out for _yourself_ , in this world, Rosie, so that’s what I _did_.”

I shake my head, tugging my pants on after my corset is buttoned, and then grasp Lucio’s hand, pulling myself to my feet. “Stop.”

“Vi...” He looks at me—he’s not too much taller than I am without his boots on, and our eyes are almost level. “You’re not gonna listen to her, right?”

I shake my head again, pressing his cape against his chest. “I don’t _know_ her.” A wave of dizziness washes over me, and I close my eyes, reaching up to grasp my forehead.

“Vi—” He catches me, dropping to his knees as he settles me back onto the ground.

“It hurts...” I lean into him, my free hand clutching at his chest. “They’re...”

“They...?”

“The memories... Too many...”

“You’re remembering...!?” He squeezes me, urging me to look up at him when he pulls back. “What do you remember?”

I shake my head once more. “ _Her_. She was burning... I was running...” I try to look away, but his hand finds my cheek, keeping my gaze on his.

“So you’re really...” He’s staring at me, but his gaze slips over to _her_ , to my _mother_ , as he pulls me tight in his arms. “You’re really...”

“Yes, Montag, I’m _really_ their mother.”

“That’s... Then...” He looks down at me again, his eyes going wide. “Then your aunt...”

I don’t realise what he’s getting at, but his hold grows tighter.

“That little bitch! She was your _sister!? How did I not see it!?_ ” He stands us up again, checking me over, and then glares at Rosalie. “If you were with Vi this whole time, why the fuck did you let your sister—”

“You think I _let_ her!?” She huffs, twitching like she wants to move closer, but she keeps her distance. “I wasn’t the same kind of ghost _you_ were, Monty, I couldn’t do _anything_.”

“I—” He hesitates, meeting my gaze again. “I never would have let you go if I’d known it was _her_... _How did I not recognise her...!?_ ”

“She was _eight_ the last time you’d seen her, Montag.” Rosalie sighs, finally taking that step closer, and then walks over, picking up the rest of his clothes from the ground. “I can’t blame you for _that_.” She offers him the handful of clothes, a sad look filling her eyes. “I can’t give you my blessing, you know that, right...?”

“Blessing... For being with Vi...? I—”

“You’re my _boyfriend_ , and they’re my _child_. I can’t...” Her lips twitch down, her eyes drifting toward the dark forest. “Get dressed, I’ll take you to the village.”

“ _Ex-boyfriend._ ” He stares at her, glaring, and then fidgets. “Village... What village? Where are we?”

“We’re in purgatory, I guess... I... This is where we _go_ when we die.”

“W-we’re really... _Dead...?_ ” He glares at her, pulling me under one arm as he snatches his clothes with his gauntlet. “There’s a _village?_ ”

“Yeah. Everyone’s there.”

“Everyone.”

“You’ll see.”

“Do I _want_ to...?”

“Montag.”

“Right... Clothes... _Fun_...” He sighs, releasing me so he can begin dressing—I take the moment, despite my still-swirling memories, to do the same, and finish getting dressed, myself. “So, uh, Rosie...”

“What, Monty?”

“When is the sun coming up...?”

She laughs, bringing her ball of flame closer to us. “It’s _not_. This place is _always_ dark. Don’t tell me you’re _still_ afraid of the dark, Monty. You’re a grown man, now.”

“I—uh, I’m not afraid! B-besides, there’s a nice, full moon!”

“For now.”

“If you’ve been bound to Vi this whole damn time, how the hell do you know anything about this place!?”

“Where do you think I’ve been since they fell into that lake? Time is _different_ here, Montag, I’ve been stuck here for a _while_.”

“Oh... How long is a while...?”

“The last few hours for _you_ have been _weeks_ for me.” She frowns, walking over to retrieve the boot she’d thrown at him earlier. “Enjoy that moon while it lasts, it’ll be darkening again, soon.”

“Since when are you do damn dreary, Rosie?”

“Being dead for nearly twenty years changes people.”

Once we’re dressed, Lucio takes my hand, keeping me close as we follow behind Rosalie through the dark woods.

I try to summon an orb of light, but it’s nowhere near bright enough—I glare at the ball of flame following Rosalie around, but I have _no idea_ how to do _that_ spell. _That’s not even fair. She’s been dead two decades and she can still do magic like that?_

Rosalie dims the flame as light becomes visible through the trees, extinguishing it completely once we step out into the open. “This is the village. Montag...”

“What?”

“Villages are made of people that are related in some way... We’re dumped together in this place...”

“What do you mean...?” He trails off at the end of his question, his eyes lifting as a crowd begins to form before us. “Oh. _Fuck_.”

“ _Lucio...?_ ”

“Uh...” He steps back, pulling me in front of him—when I look up at him, his eyes are locked on one specific person in the crowd. “H-hello, there, Papa—”

 _Papa...?_ I stare at him, and then slowly look to the man he’s staring at—I can see the resemblance—but the other man is just _glaring_ at him.

“ _Don’t_ ‘Papa’ me, _boy_.” He reaches for something at his waist—a dagger—pulling it into his hand. “If I didn’t already know you were dead, you wouldn’t be leaving here alive.”

Lucio squeaks, his grip on my shoulders tightening. “N-now, w-we can, uh, talk this out, _right...?_ ”

Blood begins to trickle down my clothes, from beneath his gauntlet’s claws, but he doesn’t seem to notice. I reach up, putting my hand over his, glaring at the man—his _father_ —that is, until my eyes catch on a red glint in the crowd, walking toward us. _No_.

“ _Did your mother finally get you?_ ” He laughs, inspecting his blade in the moonlight before re-sheathing it. “Or... Did you die like the coward you are with that damn _plague?_ ”

“Looks to me like it was the latter—” The man with the red eyes steps out of the crowd, his eyes drifting onto _me_. “Well, now.”

I squeak, stepping back, bumping into Lucio. “ _No._ ”

“ _Vi...?_ ” He whispers, his claws pulling out of my skin, his eyes drifting onto the man, recognition lighting his eyes. “ _I know you._ ”

“I’d sure as fuck _hope so_ , Montag.” He smirks, but his eyes fall back onto me again as it widens, his teeth glinting in the pale light. “I’ll be taking you _back_ from him, now.”

“No!” I gasp, thankful when Lucio’s arms tighten around me when I try to step back again. “ _No...!_ ” I shake my head. _That’s... He’s my uncle...!_

Lucio’s eyes narrow, and he gives me a squeeze before passing me to Rosalie, moving faster than I can fully register—he’s in front of my uncle in a heartbeat, his claws poised under his chin, digging into his throat. “ _I will kill you._ ” He growls, ignoring the multiple blades that are suddenly aimed at him, _including_ his father’s, pressed against _his_ throat.

“Let the boy go, Montag.”

“After what he fucking did to Vi?” Lucio’s eyes shift to his father, narrowing sharply. “I’ll kill you _again_ , if I have to, but he’s _dying_.”

“You can’t kill me, Monty, I’m already dead.” My uncle laughs, shifting so Lucio’s claws practically rip his throat apart, letting the blood run down his front until the wound heals shut.

Lucio shifts, backing a step away, flinging the blood off of his claws. “You bastard—”

I’m trembling again, and the arms wrapped around me are _not_ comforting _at all_ —I barely know this woman, even if she _is_ my mother. _She doesn’t even seem phased by any of this._ I glance up at her, but her impassive gaze is aimed at the crowd, surging forward around Lucio. I shake my head, pushing her away from me, and then rush in, pressing myself to his side, forcing my way under his arm. “ _Leave him alone!_ ”

My uncle’s laugh at my words sends a chill through me. “Even after all this time, you’re _still_ Monty’s little whore.”

I shrink down, but I keep his gaze, glaring at him. “D-don’t call me that...!” I flinch, another bunch of memories surging into my mind, _everything_ that pathetic excuse of a man had ever done to me, everything that happened since I’d left the palace, and it only fuels my rage. Flames dance to my fingertips, and I can’t stop them—I send them forth, burning him where he stands.

But he laughs through the fire, still standing, all his wounds healing when the flames falter. “What part of _can’t die_ don’t you get?” He reaches for me, his fingers grasping my wrist, but Lucio’s arms tighten around my waist before he can tug me away.

“If you touch them again, you’ll lose that hand.” He takes a step back, pulling me with him, and then another. “Fuck this, fuck _all of you!_ ” He snarls, his glare shifting between all of the faces glaring at us. “We—”

“Calm your dramatic ass down, Montag.” Rosalie steps up beside us, her hand on his shoulder. “It’s _dangerous_ to leave the village, Monty.”

“What?” He turns his glare on her, now, but his arms tighten around me. “Don’t you even _care_ what that disgusting halfwit has done to _your_ child!?” His glare shifts to my uncle, and then back to her. “You said you were there, you _know_ —”

“What do you expect me to do? I can’t kill him.” She stares blankly, her eyes drifting through the crowd after a moment more, landing on a vaguely familiar man. “We can all fight all we want, but in the end, nothing will come of it. You’re _safer_ here.”

“I—that’s—” He glares at her, pulling me closer. “We were _fine_ —”

“The moon was out then”—she points at the sky, at the sliver that _used_ to be a full moon, the light from the village’s flames dancing in her dark gaze—“but now... Those beasts that dragged you here? They live out _there_ , Monty. In the _dark._ You can chance it with them, or stay here with us—you’ll learn real quick to put the past behind you if you have to face _them_...”

“W-why would being _here_ make a difference...?”

“The light keeps them away, girl—”

I turn my glare on the man that just spoke—it’s Lucio’s father, again, although he doesn’t even flinch until _Lucio_ speaks.

“I _know_ you’re a moron but show them _some_ respect—”

“Like you showed _me_ , boy?” He laughs, his eyes dipping to my chest, which Lucio’s hands slide up over top of. “You want me to _respect_ that kid there the way you _respected_ me?”

“I’ll—”

“Montag.” Rosalie cuts him off before he can even really speak. “Drop it.”

“But he—”

“Was he worth it to you _then?_ ”

“I— _no..._ ”

“Then drop it. Follow me, alright?”

We stare at her as she turns away from us, hesitating—Lucio’s eyes drift back over the crowd, but mine go up to him. _He knows most of these people..._

He slides me under his arm, as far from the crowd as he can, and pulls me along as he follows Rosalie, keeping his eye on everyone until they’re out of sight. “ _Damn old man..._ ” He grumbles, tugging me a bit closer. “ _Are you okay, Vi?_ ”

I shiver, but I nod—now that his attention is on me, I’m having a hard time looking at him again. _Why won’t my memories of him come back...? I know I knew him, and he remembers me..._

“Violca?” Rosalie calls out to me, a smile on her lips as she pauses beside a hut. “This can be yours, no one’s using it.”

“Mine...?” I look up at Lucio again. “You mean _ours_.”

“No, _yours_.” Her eyes narrow. “Montag can have his _own_.”

“No way in hell, Rosie, I’m not leaving them alone. I don’t trust _any_ of those assholes back there—”

“And I don’t trust _you_ to keep your hands off of my _child!_ ” She growls, tugging me away from him, pushing me inside the hut, and then closes the door. “You’re old enough to be their _father_ , Montag—”

“I’m _not!_ You told me so yourself!”

“It doesn’t matter!”

I frown, backing away from the door as they continue to argue, and then turn to look at the contents of the hut—it’s dark, so I light a little orb, and then the lantern I find beside the bed. _It’s small, but it’d fit both of us..._ I sit down on the bed, burying my face in my hands. _Why does it feel so familiar when they argue...?_

I’m about to flop back onto the bed when I’m shoved down against it, a hand coming over my mouth, another pinning mine above my head. I squeak, trying to fidget, but there’s a knee on my stomach, holding me down. All I can do is stare up quietly into the glaring, red eyes above me, unable to call out, and unable to make any noise loud enough to be heard over the arguing outside the door. _Lucio, help—!_

“ _When I’m done with you, Monty won’t want you as his little whore anymore._ ”

I try to fight him, I try to bite him, to scream, to kick, but I can’t. When my hands are released, I try to summon a flame, but my magic sparks and flounders, fizzling in my palms.

He chuckles, keeping the volume low. “Just _relax_ , little whore—”

I smack him, but it only seems to enrage him, and I stare up in fear as he rips the visible buttons on my corset open. _Get off—!_

“You _did_ always like it _rough_.” His hand slides down, ripping my pants off of my hips, and then lifts to untie his own. “ _If you make a peep you’ll regret it._ ”

I squeak as his hand falls off of my face, staring up in terror as he spreads my legs, squeezing my eyes shut tightly as he shoves his cock inside me. _I don’t want this...!_

“ _Ahh—_ ” He thrusts, and again, and every memory of all the times before replay in my mind. His hands begin to wander, exploring my breasts, pinching in a way that draws whimpers from me, but his warning seals my lips.

I turn my head away, squeezing the tears from my eyes, my body limp, my fingers twitching above me. _Please just hurry up and be done..._ I sob softly, the punishment being a rough thrust, and although I try to bite my lip, I still cry out.

His motion quickens, so when it stops completely, suddenly, I can’t help but look up, trembling as blood drips down around his face, onto my own.

I stare. And then I gasp, my hands flying over my mouth to smother the sound that tried to escape. I don’t know what’s happening, until he’s ripped off of me, and a golden flash blinds me in the dim lighting.

“Vi—”

I flinch when a pair of arms wrap around me, squeezing my eyes shut again, and then sob as I’m pulled against a warm, comforting chest. _Lucio..._

“I’m here...” He holds me, just petting my hair, keeping me close, but his next words aren’t those of comfort—they’re aimed at Rosalie. “I’m _not_ sleeping in a separate hut, Rosie. Do you _seriously_ not care about Vi!?”

“I _care_ , Montag. But they can defend themself—”

“Did that _look_ like they could!?” He growls, and then tenses, his arms tightening followed by a groan on the floor beside us. “Get the _fuck_ out of here, you disgusting bastard, before I figure out how to kill a dead man.” His tone is cold, but the protective undertone is warm.

When I peek out, my uncle is _glaring_ at us, stuffing his cock back into his pants, and he winks at Rosalie as he leaves.

“Maybe I’ll see _you_ for some fun later.”

“Keep dreaming, perv. Don’t touch my kid again.”

“We’ll see about that.” He grumbles, storming out of the hut. “ _Damn whores..._ ” The door slams behind him, and there’s a loud sigh from this side of it.

“Next time, just _burn him_.”

I shake my head, clinging to Lucio. “ _I couldn’t..._ ”

“Like you’re one to _talk_ , Rosalie.”

“What the fuck—”

“If you took your _own_ advice, we wouldn’t have Vi right now!”

“That’s—”

“No!” Lucio turns, keeping me close, but a peek up tells me he’s glaring. “Get out.”

She glares at us, and then rolls her eyes, turning on her heel and walking out the door, although this time, it doesn’t slam.

“Vi...”

“H-how can _she_ be _my_ mother...!?” I shake my head, my hands clenching in his shirt.

“I... She never used to be like that, Vi... I never thought... _She used to be so sweet..._ ”

“D-don’t leave me...”

“ _I won’t—_ ”

I nod, clinging for a moment more, and then shift, still trembling when I pull away, trying to pull my clothes back on the right way. I manage to slide my pants back up, but my fingers slip on the laces, and a broken sob escapes me.

“Hey...” A soft hand closes over mine, and a golden one tips my face up, the claws as gentle as possible on my chin. “Let me help.”

I shake my head, not caring that his claws dig in. “I—” _This isn’t fair._

“Vi, I promise, I won’t hurt you.”

“I—I know...” I give up on tying them for now, and press myself back into his arms, fresh tears escaping my eyes. “I—I want to go _home_...” I sniffle, and then cling harder, gasping when he shifts so we’re lying on the bed. “Lu—Lucio...”

“We’ll go home soon, don’t worry.”

“H-how...!? W-we’re _dead!_ ” I shake my head, refusing to move from the warmth of his hold. “It _hurts_...”

He sighs, squeezing me softly. “It’ll heal soon, Vi, we can’t seem to—”

“N-not that...” I shiver, reaching to clutch my head. “Here...”

“Your... Did more memories come back...?”

I nod. “They _hurt_...”

“What did you remember...?”

“ _Him._ _Everything_ since the day I left the palace...” I shake my head, nuzzling into him as much as I can. “W-why did you make me leave...!? W-why couldn’t I have... _Stayed...?_ ”

“Oh, Vi... If I’d _known_... I _never_ would have let her take you... Not _that_ witch...”

 _Witch..._ I shove away a little, staring at him blankly. “W-why does _everyone_ out there seem to hate you so much...?”

“I—” He stares back, seemingly caught between wanting to lie and wanting to deflect.

“Lucio... How do you know _him...?_ ”

“He... I...” He stares for a moment more, and then closes his eyes, exhaling. “He was someone I was _with_ , okay...!? When I was a kid. It wasn’t... He took it too seriously!”

“I don’t get it...”

“We _fucked_ , okay? _Once_. Well. _Maybe_ twice. It’s not like we were a _thing_.” He huffs, his fingers tensing on my back. “I didn’t think I’d have to break it off, it was a _casual_ thing...”

“S-so... He’s... _Jealous...?_ ”

“Yeah, I guess. It’s _stupid_. I fucked a _ton_ of people, not just _him_. I made it _clear_ that’s all it was...”

“T-that sounds _bad_...”

Lucio chuckles, leaning in beside my ear. “ _I’m a bad man, darling._ ”

I blush, shoving him lightly. “Y-you aren’t as bad as _he_ is...”

“Even though I tried to kill you?”

“I—” I push away, staring up at him. _If he’d killed me... I’d be stuck here alone... Without him... With my uncle... With my mother... And my aunt... And all of those strange people..._

“Vi...?”

“I—I’m glad you’re with me...” I try not to, but my face scrunches up, my eyes closing as I try to hold back another bout of tears. “I want to _leave_...”

“Soon, Vi. I can’t say _exactly_ how long, but...”

“W-why do you keep saying that...!? We can’t leave... We’re stuck here _forever_.”

“Just you wait.” He smirks, pulling me back into his arms, nuzzling into my hair. “Do you remember _me_ yet?”

I pause, sifting through all the memories that have come back, and then shake my head. “Only... Seeing you when I was little... And then the day you brought me home, and... The day you made me leave...” My fingers clench against his chest again, and I open my eyes, staring into the tiny darkness between him and I. “The rest is still blank...”

“That’s _all_ you remember...?” He kisses my head when I nod, exhaling a puff of frustration. “We had so much _fun_ , Vi... All the parties, playing in the garden, getting lost in the hedge maze...”

I can’t _not_ giggle at that. “I _want_ to remember...” I _finally_ smile again, exhaling a soft sigh, my next words whispered, “ _I want to know why I trust you so much..._ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again for reading! This chapter might have been a little hard, and it's gonna get a little harder from here, too, but I promise, it's worth it.  
> Stay tuned for the next update! There are four more chapters left!


	3. Heartless

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's no fun being the object of someone's revenge—Violca is caught and tormented by their uncle and Lucio's dad, but when their memories flood back in a single burst, they don't even have a chance to consider regretting what they've just done. After that, Violca is more than ready to go home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter gets a little rough, like I warned last time, but, uh, it's worth it.

It really doesn’t get light out here. I can’t even begin to tell how much time has passed when we _finally_ sit up, Lucio prying himself away from me to pace across the room. I just watch him from my spot on the bed, pulling the blanket up into my arms.

“This is taking _too long..._ ” He grumbles, pausing at the back of the hut. “ _This place looks too much like..._ ”

“Like where...?”

“Ah... Where we’re from... Uh... Where Rosie and I are from...” Lucio turns, his eyes narrowed as he looks me over. “You’re lucky, you never had to live there...”

“Where’s that, though...?”

He flushes a light pink, glancing away. “The South... It’s... It looked _just_ like this, but... It was a _lot_ colder, there...”

“Is that why...?”

“Why, uh, why _what?_ ”

“Most of those people were speaking another language... And the rest... And _you_...”

“You speak it, too, Vi...” He frowns, meeting my gaze again. “You will be able to, anyway... Once you remember...”

“I didn’t know I knew any other languages...”

“Yeah... You’ll be shocked at how much you know.” He winks, his frown flipping into a smirk. “I taught you how to speak it...”

“You did...?”

“Yeah, you were always so quiet... But you always seemed like you had something to say.” He chuckles, coming back over and plopping down beside me on the bed. “You wouldn’t talk unless we were alone, though... So I taught you... After _that_... You used to talk as much as I do. No one else could understand, it was like our secret little language.”

I stare at him, a blush rising on my cheeks. “You did that for _me?_ ”

“Of course.” He wraps his arm around me, pulling me close. “It was nice, anyway, having someone to talk to in _my_ language.”

“Were we _really_ that close...?”

“You were my damn shadow.” He laughs, now, a fond smile forming on his lips. “I couldn’t get a moment away from you, always sneaking through the portals and passages, following me around... _You thought I didn’t notice..._ ”

My blush burns hotter, even though I can’t remember _at all_ what he’s talking about. “I do remember...”

“You remember something!?”

I shake my head. “After I left... I used to sit on the roof of the shop... Just staring at the palace... I wanted to go _home_.” I lean against him, trying to force my mind to release the memories it holds hostage, but no matter how hard I try, they won’t come, just an ache that makes me cringe. “I wanted to... You _told_ me to...”

“But you died.”

“Yeah, but...” I shake my head again, my eyes settling on the shuttered window across the room. “He died when I was 14... And she died when I was 16...” I hesitate, another detail pushing forward. “Oh.”

“Vi...?”

“S-she had the plague, but...”

“But?”

“I, um...” I look up at him—of _everyone_ , he’s the _last_ person that could judge me... And I take a breath. “I kind of... _Helped_... She wasn’t _dying_... She was getting _better_...”

Lucio laughs, squeezing me against his side. “You killed your aunt? Why didn’t you just come home _then?_ ”

“B-because... Asra wouldn’t let me.”

“Asra.”

I nod. “He said I was better off staying at the shop, staying in the city with him... I _wanted_ to go home... But by the time I _finally_ got up the nerve to ignore him... I was sick.”

“How old were you when you caught it...?”

“I was 17... I died...” I pause again, grasping my head as I try to remember. “Valdemar.”

“What? What does Valdemar—”

“They killed me.”

“ _What?_ ”

“I collapsed sneaking into the palace... I woke up at the Lazaret, with them... They knew who I was, but...”

We sit in silence for a moment—Lucio seems to be processing what I’ve said, and I’m just thankful for a moment of silence, trying to ease the headache away. The next noise that breaks through the quiet air isn’t a voice, however, it’s a twisted grumble that paints a blush on my cheeks again.

Lucio looks down at me just as I look up at him, and then laughs. “You hungry, Vi?”

“I—what?” I stare. “I don’t—I’ve never been—”

“That wasn’t _me_.”

I continue to just stare. “I haven’t felt hungry in so long... I don’t _remember_ what it’s like...”

“You... What the hell kind of spell what that, if you...”

I frown. _He’s right. I’ve never felt hunger, or any of the other things normal people feel, and on top of that, my memories..._ “You’d have to ask Asra, when he _finally_ joins us here...”

“He, uh, if I’m understanding this place... He wouldn’t be joining _us_.” He huffs, standing up again. “Let’s go find you something to eat, shall we? I’m kind of hungry, too, anyway.”

“But we’re _dead_.”

“So? There’s _got_ to be food around here _somewhere_...” He grasps my hand, pulling me to my feet before I’m fully prepared, catching me with a smirk when I stumble, but it falls when his eyes dip over me. “I’d kill him if I could.” He grasps my buttons, doing them back up, and then pulls me close, his fingers on my chin. “You’re _mine_.”

I smile at that, stepping closer to him. “I—I don’t have a problem with that.” My eyes close as his face draws nearer, and I exhale as his lips find mine, more than willing to let him in when his tongue presses to them. _This feels right_. I wrap my arms around him, and giggle when we part.

“ _Good_.” His nose brushes mine as he shifts, gazing into my eyes with our foreheads pulled together. “Don’t leave my sight, I don’t trust _any_ of those bastards out there.”

“Even my _mother...?_ ”

“ _Especially_ Rosalie. Her of all—I know what she’s capable of... _When she wants to..._ ”

“What do you mean...?”

“Vi...” He shakes his head, pulling back to properly meet my gaze. “I... I might have killed a lot of people, but... _She_ slaughtered an entire _village_ on her _own_. Just because I _left her._ ”

“S-seriously...?”

“Yeah. _I never did that... I was trying to protect her..._ ”

I stare at him. _That woman is insane. She’s really my mother...?_

“Come on, let’s go get you something to eat.” Lucio winks, pulling me from my thoughts, and tucks me close under his arm, guiding me out of the hut. “If we can still _feel_ hunger, there _must_ be something we can eat here.”

The street is barren when we step outside—I’m thankful for that, but with how dark it is, it’s also a little uncomfortable. There’s not even any lanterns lit, and the little orb of light I summon to my fingertips barely illuminates a few feet around us. _Is everyone in bed...?_

We wander for a bit, but we’re utterly lost, the village more like a city made of rows and rows of huts. We end up stopping beside what looks like a blacksmith’s forge—I don’t think Lucio really notices, but my eyes catch on a sword in the window. It looks vaguely familiar.

“This is bullshit, how do they _live here!?_ ”

“I think we might be close...” I point toward the sword. “Maybe the food is kept around here somewhere, too.”

“Ah, that’s my—” He stares, stepping closer to the glass, his golden claws scraping against it. “Why...?” His fist clenches, and the thin glass shatters, showering down around us. He reaches through, grasping the hilt, lifting it up in front of himself. “This is _mine_. Why is it _here?_ ”

“Yours...” I stare at it in his hand, realising _why_ it’s so familiar—it’s the sword in the painting, the one in his room. I step closer to him, my eyes drifting around us. _Why didn’t I realise it before...!?_ I grasp his hand, but my eyes are locked in the darkness.

“Vi...?”

“T-this is _Death’s_ realm... Technically this is still the magic realms... It’s not _purgatory_.”

“Well, that makes more sense...” He doesn’t seem shocked.

“You knew...?”

“Kind of...? Maybe. Not exactly, but...” He turns, his own eyes locking in the darkness. “I don’t think it really matters...” He pulls on me, urging me to turn back toward him—when I do, my eyes land on someone _else_ , and my first instinct is to pull _him_ toward _me_.

“Lucio—”

He whirls, raising his sword, but the person that was behind him knocks it away with a _gigantic_ axe. “Fuck—”

A pair of hands grab me from behind, yanking me away from him, and I barely gasp before a hand is over my mouth, watching as the giant man with the axe and another large man grab ahold of _him_. _What is this!?_ I try to struggle, my eyes locked on his, but I freeze at the laugh that echoes through the darkness.

“Montag. Did you _really_ think we were going to make your new life here _easy?_ ”

“What the _fuck_ , old man!?” Lucio snarls, his eyes darting to where his father steps forward, a small crowd gathered behind him, some with weapons, and some with lights.

“You destroyed our whole village—”

“The _fuck_ I did! I only got rid of _your_ pathetic ass! Whatever happened after _that_ has nothing to do with me!”

“Oh, but it does.” Behind him, multiple men step forward, axes, swords, and daggers in their hands. “All of them are dead because of _you_.” There’s a sickening smirk on his face, his eyes drifting to _me_. “You might already be dead, but that doesn’t mean we can’t make your afterlife _hell_ , boy.”

Lucio tries to shirk off the men holding him, but he’s too small, they’re both twice his size, and the one with the axe plants it against his throat. “Don’t you fucking _touch them_ , old man!”

“You’re in no position to be making _demands_ , Montag.” His father laughs, stepping closer to me, another man—my _uncle_ —following shortly behind. “Once we’re done with your little whore, maybe you’ll _finally_ understand how your _mother_ felt when you murdered me, when you _tried_ to murder _her!_ ”

“No!”

I try to squirm, but I can’t break free from the arms wrapped around me, and I can’t make any real noise because that hand is still firmly over my mouth. _Let me go!_ I huff, kicking back, my heel connecting with something, but it doesn’t even get a reaction. I’m passed off to the two approaching men, and I squeak, a new rush of terror coursing through my blood as Lucio’s father grasps my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze.

“The last in a line of terrifyingly strong witches... Yet you seem so... _Weak_.”

I’m trembling, but I manage to take a deep enough breath to spit right between his eyes, although the only thing that achieves, aside from enraging him, is getting him to release my chin. “L-let me go...!”

“Ohh, I’m going to have such _fun_ with those _pretty little lips_.”

I gasp, trying to flinch away, but his hand clamps down on my chin again, fingers digging into my skin. I whimper, his grip too tight to get any actual words out, trying to glare as hard as I can at him.

“ _Stop this, you filthy old man!_ ” Lucio sounds as desperate as I feel, although he’s blocked from my view by his father. “Where’s Rosie!? _Rosalie!_ ”

“Your _other_ little whore?” His father releases me, turning to look at him, and gestures with his hand—Rosalie is brought out, bound in rope, and a rag is ripped out of her mouth, the first word following being a curse. “She’s right here. She’ll have a front row seat, too.”

Rosalie squirms, but she’s tied too tightly, the most she can do is move where the man holding her guides her. “This is sick, even for _you!_ ”

“Shut up, witch.” My uncle growls at her, his fingers sliding into the waist of my pants, tugging them down without bothering to untie them. “ _You’re_ _next_.”

She glares at him, growling something in that language they all speak, and even from here, I can see the sparks as she tries to summon her flame—I try to do the same, but I’m too terrified, it just sparks and fizzles at my fingertips. That’s the last thing I’m allowed to do before my hands are pulled together, held against my back, and that disgusting cock is shoved inside me again. _No...!_

“ _Vi—!_ ”

I try to bite my lip, to keep from making any noise, and I _definitely_ refuse to even _glance_ at Lucio—this isn’t fair to him, having to watch _this_. I squeeze my eyes shut, although they open again when the grip on my chin tips my head up.

“Open wide, little witch.”

I shake my head, clenching my jaw, but his grip forces my mouth to open—I close my eyes again, cringing as the taste of his flesh hits my tongue. _How the hell is he Lucio’s dad?_ _Was what Lucio did really so bad to deserve this!?_

“ _That’s it..._ ”

I gag as he thrusts into my throat, tears spilling down my cheeks at the unwelcomed, dual sensations on either end of my body. _I’ll kill him. I’ll kill both of them._

“ _Get your filthy cocks away from them!_ ” Both Lucio and Rosalie shout at the same time, but it doesn’t do any good.

 _This isn’t right_. I feel numb. I feel violated. I feel _disgusting_. There’s literally _nothing_ I can do to stop this, everything I even consider is beyond my current power, especially when my magic isn’t working. When the cock in my throat pauses, hesitating deep within, I contemplate biting down as hard as I can—and then reject the idea. _I don’t want to choke on it... That’d be disgusting._ And then it starts moving again, pulling out far enough that a sob manages to escape me before it thrusts in again.

“Such a _good_ little witch. Once we’ve had our fill, the _real_ fun’ll begin.”

I open my eyes just a crack, although from this angle, the only person I can see is Rosalie, and she isn’t watching—she’s got her eyes squeezed shut, her head turned away. _Useless. How are you my mother!?_

“Let _go_ of them!” Lucio shouts again, and then squeaks. “ _Get your filthy axe away from me!_ ”

My uncle’s motion _finally_ pauses, the warmth flooding inside of me making me feel _filthy_ , making me wish I could die _again_.

_I don’t want that in there...!_

But he doesn’t stop, he keeps thrusting, harder, and harder _yet_ when Lucio’s father pulls out of my mouth, patting my cheek just as the next thrust between my legs jars my teeth together.

I bite back a whimper, but when he steps aside, my gaze meets Lucio’s—he’s _furious_. I close my eyes, I don’t want to look at him, not like this, not through this, but his father grasps my face, forcing me to.

“Look at your little whore, boy. Not a single complaint.” He chuckles, crouching down to meet my gaze. “You’re enjoying this.”

I spit in his face, his fluid mixed with my saliva, landing on his cheek. “ _I will kill you_.”

His grin fades, and he pats my cheek again. “Good luck with that.” He glances up to my uncle, a cruel glint in his eyes. “ _Make this witch cry._ ”

My uncle pulls out of me, and as the relieved look in my eyes forms, my gaze meeting Lucio’s, he presses against me again—and not in the same place.

“ _No!_ ” Across from me, Lucio tries struggling again, kicking the sharp point of his heel into the shin of one of the men holding him, but it doesn’t help any—their holds are just as firm as they were before. “You say you’re doing this for Mama’s sake, but what do you think she’d say if she saw this!?”

“It’s been almost three decades, boy, it’s felt like an _eternity_ , I don’t _care_ anymore.”

I want to look away, but he’s still holding my face, still forcing me to hold Lucio’s gaze, and I can’t stop the scream that escapes me when the pathetic excuse of a man my aunt had married thrusts his cock into my ass. _It hurts_. I fidget, trying to escape, trying to break away, but his hold is too tight, and it only grows tighter, an ache forming in my shoulders as he pulls on my arms. The tears won’t _stop_ , now, flowing freely down my cheek, little sobs escaping me as he continues to thrust in, each motion drawing a pained noise from my lips.

“Ohh— _yes_ , keep fighting, little whore, _ahh_ —”

I can’t form a verbal response, it hurts too much. I just want this to be over. I want him away from me. My eyes drift closed, and this time, when I’m shaken, when I’m smacked, they don’t open again. _I give up_. _It hurts. I can’t feel anything else._

“ _You’re going to kill them!_ ”

“That’s the _point!_ How much can one of us take before we _finally_ die, even in _this_ state!?” His father laughs, grabbing my hair, his fingers twined tightly through the strands. “If they survive _everything_ , then we really _can’t_ die!” He lifts my head, and a cool, metal blade presses to my throat.

“ _Don’t—_ ”

“Oh _hush_ , boy. Slitting their throat wouldn’t be any _fun_. No... You _know_ what I’m going to do.”

“You motherfucker—”

“ _That’s how your pathetic little ass came into existence!_ ”

I groan, trying to open my eyes. _He’s not pathetic... Don’t talk to him that way..._ But the words never make it past my lips, my eyes fluttering but never opening. I feel so _lightheaded_.

A finger is drawn across my backside, through the moisture that’s covering my skin, and then there’s a laugh—Lucio’s dad again. “The little witch is bleeding! Wonderful! _I always did love blood_.”

“ _You’re sick._ ”

“Oh, like _you_ don’t love it, too. You _revel_ in it!”

“Not like _that!_ ”

Just when I feel like I’m about to pass out, I feel that warmth again, the man behind me releasing himself again, and then ripping out of me, letting my body fall to the stone street. I can’t move. I try to open my eyes, _barely_ able to meet Lucio’s gaze before they slide shut again, before someone flips me onto my back, crawling over top of me. I think that it’s going to continue, but my tops are ripped open, instead, baring my chest to the warm air.

“Let’s see if someone can survive having their heart cut out when they’re already dead...”

“ _Don’t you dare!_ Damn it! Let _go of me! Stop this you heartless dick!_ ”

I open my eyes, just in time to see Lucio’s dad bare his _own_ chest, a black, gaping hole in the middle of it. _What...?_

“If I’m _heartless_ , it was _you_ that made me this way!” He cackles, plunging his dagger into my chest. “ _Now for the fun part—_ ”

My vision goes black. I think for a moment that I really died _again_ , but then memories begin pouring into my mind—my first time _really_ talking, after arriving at the palace, the moment I discovered who I am...

And then another memory fades in, and another—dinners with Lucio, dancing at the masquerade, the pumpkin spice cake for my own birthdays... Playing together in the garden, splashing in the fountain, getting lost in the hedge maze... Times when the courtiers entertained me because Lucio had other things to do—Vulgora was the most fun, they let me play with weapons... They’re the one that encouraged me to learn how to use them, told me stories of Lucio on the battlefield, putting dreams of fighting alongside him in my mind...

Everything. From the moment I arrived at the palace, until the moment I left, the entire blank gap fills in. I feel _whole_ again. _I’m myself again._ And when my eyes open, I grasp the wrist of the man on top of me, ripping the blade both from my chest and from his hands, driving it into his throat. “I told you I’d kill you.” I sit up, twisting the blade, and then rip it through, slicing his neck open as my eyes narrow. “ _Who the fuck do you think I am?_ ”

“ _Vi?_ ”

I glance over at Lucio—he’s still being restrained, but the two men holding him are _stunned_ , their grips slipping. “Lucio...” I stare at him, still somewhat frozen, still in agonising pain, shaking my head when my eyes begin to slide shut again. _I’ve lost too much blood..._ My eyes slip closed anyway, and when I start to slump, I’m wrapped in a warm, _comfortable_ pair of mismatched arms. “ _I remember you now..._ ”

“Vi...” He goes to squeeze me, but then his golden arm lifts, and I find myself shifted under his other arm. “ _Now_ I’ll kill you.” He stands, letting me drop gently to the ground, and then grasps ahold of his sword—which is currently in my uncle’s grasp. “I’ll be taking that back, now.” He yanks his sword back into his own hands, shifting it until he’s satisfied, and then smirks at the two men before him. “I wonder...”

“Don’t you fucking _dare_ , boy—” His father barely gets the last word out, Lucio’s sword connecting right where I’d cut him, his head slicing clean off, falling to the ground with a sickening _crack_.

Lucio laughs, his eyes turning to my uncle. “Bye.” He swings, no real warning given, and a repeat of the first swing ends with _his_ head on the ground, as well. “Let’s see you revive from _that!_ ”

The street has pretty much cleared, now, aside from the two corpses before us, it’s just us and Rosalie, who’s still bound and on her knees—I glance over at her, trying to tug my ripped clothes back in place on my body, still trembling from the abuse. _She still won’t look at me, even now._ I huff, watching the more minor wounds heal closed, wishing the larger ones would heal as quickly as I glare down at my chest, sliced open and bleeding. _Wait_. I glare harder, and then touch the wound.

“Vi—”

“I... Don’t have a heart...?”

“I guess not...” He kneels down, his hand coming over mine. “You said Valdemar...”

“Yeah... I don’t... Remember them taking it, though...”

“You wouldn’t, you kind of died when they did.” He chuckles, but it sounds a little hollow, his hand tensing.

“Lucio... I remember going into the flames... How could they have gotten it...?”

He shakes his head, his eyes glancing to Rosalie. “You’ll have to ask them.”

I look to her, and then back to him. “Go. Untie her or kill her, I don’t care.”

His hand finds mine, instead, pulling me to my feet and into his hold. “I won’t kill her, she’s your mother.”

“I don’t know that. I barely remember her... She doesn’t even _care_ about me.”

“That isn’t true!” She speaks up, _finally_ looking over at us, at _me_. “I... Maybe before you were born... Maybe when you were a baby, but... You were my _everything_ , Violca...”

“You didn’t even wanna name them, Rosie, you just kept calling them the _little gremlin_.”

“You try carrying a creature inside _your_ belly that won’t stop kicking!” She scowls, but it’s more of a pout, her eyes locked on Lucio’s. “It wasn’t _your_ baby... _They_ weren’t _your_ child...”

“Rosalie, I told you, I didn’t _care_. I don’t care.”

“Obviously. You’re with _them_ now.”

“With...” He looks to me, a small flush on his cheeks. “Vi—”

“We fucked _once_. That’s _hardly_ being _together..._ ” I blush, glancing toward the ground. _I wouldn’t mind if we were, though... I’d like that..._

He squeezes me to him at my words, though, a grin on his face. “You really _are_ back.”

“Yeah.”

Lucio kisses my cheek, tugging me along as he walks over in front of Rosalie. “I had to move on, Rosie, you _died_. I never _meant_ to be with Vi, but...” He meets my gaze again, and then hands me his sword. “You decide, Vi, what to do with her.”

“I—” I stare at the blade, and then look down at Rosalie, at my _mother_ , my heart twisting. I bring the tip beneath her chin, making her look up at us, at _me_ , and then sigh, letting it drop. “I won’t kill you.”

“Violca—”

“You can stay in this godforsaken place, _alone_. Don’t follow me anymore.”

“Violca, you _can’t_ leave the village, the moon—”

“I don’t give a _damn_ about the moon! This place isn’t as terrifying as you make it out to be!”

“But the creatures!”

“This is _Death’s_ realm—I’ll be _fine_. _We’ll_ be fine. But _you_ won’t be.”

“What do you mean...?”

I look to Lucio—he’d been hinting at it this whole time, and now that I’ve got my memories, I realise what he’d meant. “How do we call them?”

“We don’t, but, uh, they’ll know, I’m sure.”

“Good.”

“Who!?”

I turn my glare down on my mother, shaking my head, and then slice the ropes away from her body. “Valdemar.”

“Why—”

I sharpen my gaze, my hand coming up over the still-healing wound in my chest. “We’re _leaving_. We’re going _home_.” I lean into Lucio again, letting him support some of my weight, and then urge him to turn away with a small nod.

“Goodbye, Rosalie.”

“Wait—”

Lucio pauses at her word, but he doesn’t turn around. “I wanted to spend some time with you, I _did_ miss you, Rosie. But we’ve _both_ changed, we aren’t kids anymore.” He pulls me tighter to his side, looking down at me. “I have someone _else_ that I love, now—that loves _me_.”

I smile, my cheeks turning pink, but I don’t even try to deny his words. _I do. I always have._

“Violca...”

I turn, meeting her gaze one last time. “If you were really with me that whole time... You already know it’s true.” I look back up at Lucio, my next words trapped on my lips as his fingers find my cheek, drawing my face to his. Our tongues collide as our lips crash together, and it feels _right_. Our kiss is rough, passionate, and I wrap my arms behind his neck, pulling him as close as I can, the last aches in my body finally healing, the pain being replaced with a sensation of ecstasy, of _love_. I smile when we part, laughing softly. “ _I love you_.”

“ _Violca..._ ” He breathes my name against my lips, stealing another small kiss.

“Monty... You’re just taking _advantage_ —”

He pulls away, looking blankly back at Rosalie. “What _they_ did was taking advantage—they _want_ me...” His eyes fall back on me, a smile forming on his lips. “Right?”

I nod, my hand sliding onto his cheek. “I always have.”

“He’s old enough to be your _father_ , Violca!”

I turn away, not sparing her another glance, taking a step toward the dark forest. “I know, and I don’t _care_. He _isn’t_.” I walk away, Lucio right beside me, the two of us stepping through the brush, into the darkness of the woods.

“Goodbye, Rosalie. For _real_ , this time.” He spares her a final look, watching until she’s out of sight.

“ _I do what I want._ ” I mumble, refusing to look back, myself.

“That’s my darling—” Lucio pulls me against his side again once we’re beyond the light of the village, pressing a kiss to my temple. “C-can you maybe... Make a light...?”

“Are you _really_ still afraid of the dark?”

“I’m not afraid!”

I sigh, lifting my hand, lifting the sword, summoning a flame to the tip of the blade. “I can do more now than before... This is nice.”

“When did you learn magic, anyway?”

“My grandmother insisted... My aunt forced me to learn... And Asra helped me refine it for myself.” I laugh, a hollow sound, and then sigh. “He knew how close we were. _That_ is why he kept me away from you.”

“What do you wanna do about that?”

“What is there to do? He _failed_. He didn’t get me, _you_ did.” I exhale, my eyes catching on a glint through the trees. “I think we’re here.” I point with the blade, toward where I saw the glint. “The _monsters_ are beyond there.”

“Monsters.”

“It’s not a monster.” I laugh again. _I know this feeling—I know what that is._ I pull Lucio through the treeline, into the dark clearing beyond, and then point the sword toward the moon, the tiny sliver that’s slowly growing into a bright, full disk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After this, there are only _three_ chapters left! The drama increases, but the plot does, too! I hope you guys are enjoying the story so far! Please tune in next week for the next chapter! <3


	4. Rebirth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the longest night of their lives, Violca and Lucio finally get to go home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, from here on, all the smutty stuff is normal consensual stuff with Vi and Lucio, no more evil nasty. ;D The story is gonna get good.

I swipe the sword through the air, extinguishing the flame—before us, the sky rips open, the darkness cracked by a bright light, a vision from within the palace coming into view as Valdemar steps out before us, their sharp teeth visible as they smirk at me.

“You remember, now?”

I nod. “Bring us _home_...”

They laugh, their eyes dipping to Lucio. “I thought _you_ would be the one to try and get my attention.”

“I was going to!” He tugs me closer, swiping his sword back from me. “I just wanted a little time, first...”

Valdemar watches us blankly for a moment, and then brushes us off, their gaze landing on me again. “I _did_ say it was _risky_ of the Countess to bring _you_ to the palace.”

I recall the day we’d ‘met’ in the salon, and then laugh. “You did.”

“Honestly, such a _smart_ woman, yet she brings Lucio’s little _pet_ back home.”

“I don’t think I ever told Noddy about Vi.” Lucio meets my gaze, and then looks to Valdemar.

“It’s inconsequential, at any rate. Now hurry up, follow me. Everyone is waiting.”

We look at one another again, just as they step through the portal, and then step through it together—we’re spit out in the dungeon, in Valdemar’s little surgery, but when I go to stand, I can’t. _I’m floating._ I look up at Lucio, and he’s _staring_ at me.

“Vi, uh, why are _you_ still a ghost?”

I look at my hands, and then up at him again—he’s _alive_ —his eyes aren’t even red anymore, he’s back to normal. “ _I don’t know..._ ”

“ _That_ is a little problem I was prepared for.” Valdemar grins, fishing something from a shelf beneath one of the tables—a jar with a heart inside it. “I took the liberty of relieving you of this before you died. I figured you might be... _Needing it_.”

“ _That’s why I don’t have a heart!?_ ” I stare— _that’s my heart._ It’s still _beating_ , wrapped with the veins of plague, the fluid keeping it in stasis pulsing lightly with each thump.

“You were going to die regardless, I needed to take it at a _very_ specific moment, or what we’re about to do wouldn’t _work_.”

“ _Why? Why do something to save me? You love death. You love when people die._ ”

“It is _fun_ to dissect people, yes... But _you_... _Both_ of you... Are key to the Master’s plans.”

I stare at them, and then look to Lucio. “ _Master...?_ ”

“They, uh... They mean the Devil...” He frowns, taking a step closer to me. “What _plans?_ ”

Valdemar clicks their tongue, shaking their head. “Now that won’t do, just be quiet and wait, you’ll soon see.” They set the jar with my heart down on the table, and then pace across the room, picking a red, leather bound journal off of a desk. “Now I _know_ that spell was in here _somewhere..._ ”

“ _They aren’t just crazy, right...?_ ”

“I dunno, Vi...” Lucio tries to touch me, but his hand slides through my arm, his eyes dipping toward it with a scowl. “This better work, I don’t like not being able to touch.”

“It will work. I’ve done it before.”

“Before.”

“Yes. Once.”

“ _Then how do you know it will work!?_ ”

“Because I wrote it down exactly as I’d done it the last time.” Valdemar grins again, dropping the journal onto the table beside my heart, open to a blood-stained page.

 _That book has a nasty, evil aura..._ I try not to cringe, my eyes locked on the page. “ _What exactly are you going to do...?_ ”

“Just relax, and when you feel the _pull_ , don’t fight it.”

“ _Of course you’re not going to tell me._ ” I watch as they unscrew the jar, wishing I _could_ touch Lucio right now, settling on floating a little closer to him, my eyes locked on my heart as they pull it out into the air. _It looks worse now. Was I really that sick?_ A concern begins to form in my mind, but before I can comprehend it, Valdemar stabs my heart with a glistening ritual dagger, and I feel a _pull_ , just like they’d said. My first instinct _is_ to fight it, but I inhale, closing my eyes. It feels like being pulled through a portal, and then everything goes dark...

I feel myself waking up before I actually do—my body is in _agonising_ pain, my blood feels like it’s on _fire_ , and my eyes feel like they’ve been washed with acid. As they open, I can’t help but hiss—the light is _far_ too bright, making the burning hurt _worse_.

“Vi—”

I smile when I hear Lucio’s voice, trying to reach up to shield my eyes, squinting up at him as he reaches for my face. “Lu—Lucio...”

“I wouldn’t _touch them_ , if I were you.”

“What?”

“Isn’t it _obvious?_ ” Valdemar sighs, shaking their head. “They’ve still got the plague, do you _want_ to catch it _again?_ ”

“I— _no..._ What good was bringing them back if they’re just going to die again!?”

“They won’t, hush. They just need to _fight it_.”

“Fight...?” I turn my gaze to them, watching them hand a linen face mask to Lucio. “I tried that _before..._ ”

“Yes, well. Try _harder._ I won’t be able to bring you back _again_ , and you won’t be able to return to Death’s realm.”

“Why...?”

“Why...? Because you _left_. No one leaves Death’s realm... _Except_ you two... _And me, of course._ ”

I try to glare, but I don’t have the energy. I just sigh, closing my eyes, until a hand falls on my cheek, cold and metallic.

“Fight it for me, Vi.”

I open my eyes again, gazing up at Lucio. “For you.”

“Yeah. Don’t leave me a third time.”

I laugh, although it hurts. “I didn’t want to leave to _begin with_.” I lean into the cool metal of his gauntlet, wishing it was his actual skin, my eyes locked with his. “You should go.”

“No.”

“But you’ll get sick.”

“I’ll be okay. When I make my return debut, you’ll be there _with me_.” He smirks, his claws stroking my skin gently. “This time, _you’ll_ have red eyes.”

“Everyone is going to be twice as terrified as before.” I smile, and then glance to Valdemar. “How long were we gone...?”

“Just an hour or so, the party is still underway, and the preparations are still complete.”

“Preparations...?”

“Don’t worry your little head over it.” They approach with a needle, a syringe filled with a disgusting, red liquid. “This _will_ hurt, but...” They stab my thigh, injecting it into me, grinning when I squeak. “That _should_ aid your getting better.”

“W-what was that...?”

“A vaccine, of sorts.”

“Vaccine...?”

“A _cure_ , if you will.”

“There’s a _cure!?_ ” I glare at them, already feeling the effects. “If there’s a _cure_ , why the hell wasn’t it released to the people!?”

“What _fun_ is that? Besides, I can’t _possibly_ produce it on such a massive scale... And the ingredients... Require the patient to _die_ first... No. Much too difficult.”

“Die...”

“What do you think that was?”

“I—”

“Why do you think I needed to dissect you _before_ you died?” They sigh, pacing back over to their desk. “ _No one ever thanks me for my work._ ”

I look up at Lucio, my heart twisting in my chest—a more _solid_ feeling than I’ve felt in a _long_ time. “W-what did they—”

“You don’t wanna know...” He sighs, pulling the cloth off of his face, smirking down at me. “How’re you feeling?”

“Not really sick, but... _Weird_.” I try to sit up, succeeding thanks to Lucio’s help, and stare down at my hands, now solid again, watching the streaks of plague as they fade from my skin. “My eyes probably don’t look as cool as yours did.” I smirk, meeting his gaze.

He slides his hand onto my cheek, his thumb stroking just below my eye. “You look fine—you look _gorgeous_. I like it.” He smirks again, dipping in so our noses are touching. “Before we make ourselves known again... We should get you cleaned up...”

“Yeah...” I shiver, wrapping my arms behind his neck. _I might not have been in my body, but I feel filthy anyway..._ At that thought, I glance down at myself—I’m naked, wrapped in a sheet, and a flush rises on my cheeks. “I—I don’t have any clothes here anymore...”

“You do.”

“What?”

“I had something made... I thought you’d come back...”

“I—” I stare at him, turning my head away after a moment. “Sorry.”

“Don’t apologise, you can’t help it—you _died_.” He turns me to face him again, and then steals a kiss, short and sweet. “Let's go to your room.”

“My room... That’s still here...?”

“I sealed over the door with a painting, no one’s touched it. It’s just as you left it.”

I laugh, and then giggle when he scoops me into his arms. “Let me guess—it’s a portrait of _you_.”

“Of _course_ it is. What else would I hang on the walls?”

I hook my arms around his neck again, pulling myself up to steal another kiss. “Let’s go. I can’t be naked when we debut.”

“No...” His eyes dip over my body, lingering on the peaks my nipples are making through the thin fabric. “I want you.”

“ _Please_ leave my dungeon.”

We both laugh, and without another word, Lucio carries me out into the dark hall, grabbing an unlit torch from the wall. “Care to light it?”

I glance at it, wiggling my fingers toward it, squeaking when the flame sparks back at me. “T-that’s more power than I’m used to...!”

“Ohh, this is going to be _fun_. Just how powerful _are_ you?”

“I have _no idea_. It’s been so long...” I stare at the flame as it flickers, and then look up at Lucio as he begins down the hall. “I’m really _me_ again...”

“Yeah. All you, every bit of you.” He winks, kicking a stone near the base of the wall, a stone door sliding open with an obnoxious scraping sound. “You don’t mind a haircut, right?”

“Why...? What’s wrong with my hair?”

“Nothing—I just—it’s just...”

“Lucio.”

“You’d look cute with this one cut I saw somewhere... I think it’d go great with your new outfit.”

“What, exactly, are you planning on doing to _my_ head?”

“Nothing major! Just... Shaving a part of it...”

“Shaving!? Lucio—”

“Only a part of it!” He reaches up, twirling a finger in the length on my right. “I’ll curl the rest.”

“Don’t you normally have _servants_ do that stuff...?”

“That’d defeat the purpose, we’d have to announce our return _first_.”

“Oh. Yeah... You won’t... Destroy my hair...?”

“Who do you think you’re talking to? Of course not!” He winks, continuing to play with my hair, until we come to a dead-end. “How’d you make it all reddish, anyway?”

“I—peroxide.” I blush, staring up at him. “And maybe a _little_ magic to make it _stay_ this way...”

“Seriously?” He stares at me, nudging a spot in the wall with his elbow, stepping out when it swings open into the dark hallway of his wing. “You can use magic for that?”

“You can do a _lot_ of things with magic.” I wink at _him_ , this time, fidgeting in his hold.

“ _You’re going to have to show me, darling._ ” He kicks the panel shut again, smiling down as we make our way down the hall, stopping in front of a large painting of him. “I haven’t gone in since I sealed it off...”

“How do we—” I cut off when he sets me on my feet, watching as he slides his fingers along the frame, the entire thing swinging off of the wall after a moment. “Oh.”

“Just like the one in my room.” He grasps my hand, leading me through the door, closing the painting behind us. “It’s all dusty...”

I stare, stepping forward, my eyes roaming over _everything_ —at my old bed, as big and fluffy as _his_ , but with my favourite blue instead of red, the silken curtains moth-eaten and ragged, dulled with a decade of dust... At my desk, at the luxurious wardrobe, where I’d left everything when I left... _I didn’t get to bring anything except what I was wearing, that day._ I step forward, clinging to the sheet wrapped around me, being sucked in by the nostalgia. “I was _twelve_ the last time I was in here...”

“Yeah.” He hooks the torch in a holder by the door, pacing across the room, and throws the drapes open, letting the moonlight flood into the room, covering his cough with his wrist when it throws up a cloud of dust. “I guess I should have come in to dust, at least...”

“It’s not a big deal.” I smile, letting the sheet fall away as I turn to look at him. “My bath still works, I’d assume.”

“Ohh, _darling._ ” His eyes dip, lingering on my now-bare form. “Shall we test out just how _soft_ that bed of yours is?” He advances toward me, his hands finding my hips, drawing me against his front. “I can’t wait any longer.” He dips in, his lips crashing against mine—I return his kiss equally, my hands tugging on his clothes, pulling on strings, buttons, and clasps, until he pushes me down onto the bed. “Hang on—” He twists, ending up _ripping_ his shirt off of himself as he tries to get it off without removing his arm, kicking his boots away with his pants. “Damn clothes. Always in the way.”

I laugh, unable to stop the grin that forms. “Now _you_ need a new outfit, too.”

“Don’t worry, _I’ve got plenty_.” He crawls over top of me, his lips on mine again in a heartbeat, and then tugs on me, until my head is against the pillows, and my legs are wrapped up around his hips. “Your first time in your new body.” He winks, his eyes diving between my legs as his fingers do. “We’ll have to get you new bedding when we’re done.”

I blush at what he’s implying, giggling as he brushes his cock against me. “You’re so _impatient_ with me...!”

“I _want_ you!”

“You always _play_ with everyone _else_ , first.” I smirk as he shivers at my tone, reaching to stroke my fingers along his cock. “ _Play with me._ ”

“ _Ohh_ , you little _vixen_.” He giggles, too, grasping my hands to tug me back up. “You little _temptress._ What do you have in mind, darling?”

I grin, pressing my hands to his chest, sliding them down until I’ve got his cock in my hands, and then shift, kneeling in front of him and bringing my lips to the head. “ _I’ve wanted to do this for a long time._ ”

“ _You weren’t old enough._ ” He turns red, watching as I slide my lips over his skin, his hand sliding into my hair. “ _Fuck...!_ ”

I take him deeper, teasing the head of his cock with the back of my throat, and then pull away, pressing a kiss to the tip, smirking up at him. “I get _why_ , now... You didn’t have to send me away.”

“ _I didn’t know how to explain it to you!_ ” He huffs, his hand clenching tight in my hair. “Do _not_ stop—!”

I shake my head, drawing him back between my lips, tickling the base of the head with my tongue, and then sliding down as far as I can, and then repeat, increasing the pressure with each stroke, my body twitching with his moans.

After a few times, he grows impatient, his gauntlet finding a home beside his hand, and he begins thrusting into my throat, groaning as he picks up speed. “ _Fuck, Vi..._ ” He continues, his cock sliding as deeply as it can into my throat, over and again—he ignores when I gag, his fingers clenching on my head as his motion stutters to a stop, pulling back _just_ far enough that I can taste it when he releases himself, pulling out _just_ as he finishes, leaving me with a mouthful. “ _Don’t swallow it—don’t spit either—_ ” He dives down, kissing me deeply, holding me against him as his tongue dances on mine.

I laugh when he’s finally done, smiling as he kisses the last of it from my chin. “Is that normal?”

“Screw normal. I _love_ the taste.” He grins, his face flushed, and then kisses me again.

“You _like_ that?”

“You don’t?”

I blush, swallowing softly. “It’s too salty.”

“ _You’ll get used to it, darling._ ” He strokes my cheek with his thumb, and then shoves me back down onto the bed, lifting my legs over his shoulders. “ _I want to taste you, too._ ” His tongue finds my clit, followed by his lips, drawing a moan from me as he begins to suckle, his gauntlet clenching on my hip, his fingers sliding inside me, the sensation making me fidget in his hold.

I nearly scream in pleasure—his tongue works across my skin, dancing like it does when we kiss, until my body begins to twitch, and then spasm, the combination of his mouth and fingers sending a thrill through my blood. _This is so amazing—_

And then he pulls away, chuckling as he stares down at my fidgeting form. “ _Now_ can I have you?”

“H-hurry up—” I whimper, my hips twitching impatiently. “I _need_ you—”

“ _Yes—_ ” He groans, diving in to kiss my clit once more, and then shifts, bringing his cock to my hole. “ _Relax, darling, this is going to feel amazing_ —”

“I—I know—” I giggle, and then moan as he pushes his cock against me, slowly sliding inside me. “ _Lucio—_ ” My head tips back, my eyes closing, but as I gasp in pleasure, it turns to one of pain, his fingers threading into my hair again, pulling my head forward.

“ _Look at me._ ”

I stare at him, my face flushed, my mouth open, another soft gasp escaping me as he begins to thrust. “Y-you weren’t this rough last time—”

“ _You remember me, this time._ ” He smirks, his teeth glinting in the pale light. “ _You know how I am._ ” He thrusts into me, drawing a scream from my lips, and then dives in to kiss it silent, swallowing every sound I make as he thrusts harder. “ _I won’t hurt you—_ ”

“I know—” I gasp, wrapping my arms around him, my hands sliding into his hair. “ _D-do it harder—_ ”

“Ohh, _I_ _love you—!_ ” He slams into me, his lips sealing on mine just before I scream again, his thrusts beginning to rub against my clit with the position we’re in, drawing me quickly to my peak. “ _Vi—_ ” He groans, curling so his forehead’s on mine, his thrusts deep and hard. “You are so _perfect—_ ” His words come out with a moan, and just as my body is about to spasm, he slows down, pushing up out of my arms. “ _Not yet—_ ”

I whine, staring up at him. “ _Lucio—!_ ”

“ _Just a little longer—_ ” He grasps my breasts, his thumb swirling on my nipple. “ _I wanna enjoy you...!_ ”

I reach up, grasping his wrists, my nails digging in where they can. “ _Lucio...!_ ”

He thrusts hard, and then slows down again, and repeats, until my body is spasming in his hands, and he releases deep within me, his warmth flooding inside me. “ _Fuck—!_ ” He groans, his head tipping back, his thrusts slow but not stopping, until he pulls out completely.

I giggle, the sound mixed with my moans, gazing up at him as he looks back down at me again, his hands shifting from my breasts to my waist. I open my lips to speak, but I find myself being flipped, a short scream escaping me as I faceplant into the pillow, and then laugh again. “W-what are you doing!?”

“ _You_.” He giggles, positioning himself again, and then thrusting inside me, his pace twice as quick as before, drawing the spasms in my muscles out, urging them higher.

“ _Ohh—!_ ” I whimper, the next spasm that courses through me twice as hard, my fingers clenching the silk beneath me with all my strength. “ _Fuck—_ ” I gasp, biting down on the pillow, not even _caring_ that I get a mouthful of dust when I do.

Lucio leans in, his thrusts only slowing a little, his lips finding the back of my neck, his teeth scraping my skin. “ _Wait until we can play a little longer, darling_.”

I fidget, crying out when he bites down, twitching, and then nearly flailing as my body spasms again, a laugh that’s half-sob escaping me as he releases inside me _again_. “ _I don’t wanna stop—_ ”

He cackles, and then pushes up, using a single hand on the back of my neck to keep me in place. “We can go a little longer.” He thrusts into me again, and then pulls away, flipping me onto my back again, a sharp smirk on his face. “ _Damn_.”

I blush at the look in his eyes—he’s gazing at me hungrily, a little blood on his lip from when he bit me, giving him a somewhat devilish look. “W-why are you waiting?”

“Good question—” He grabs ahold of my thighs, pulling me down to him again, and then guides his cock into me again, his motion slower than before. “ _Last_ _time_.”

“Aww—”

“Even I get tired, you know.” He winks, lowering himself on top of me, stealing a kiss, and then another, his hands sliding up onto my breasts just as slowly as the rest of his movements. “ _I wanna savour you, too._ ” He relaxes his weight onto me, his kisses and thrusts growing idle, and _finally_ lets me tilt my own head back, taking the chance to gnaw on my throat, switching between biting and kissing.

“ _You’re heavy..._ ” I exhale, glancing down at him, smiling at the insulted look he takes on.

“I’m not heavy—” He stares at me for a moment, and then pushes up, staring down at where he’d been. “Oh—”

“What—” I glance down, watching the veins of plague as they fade away again, and then shiver. “G-guess I’m still a little sick.”

“I don’t think you’re contagious anymore, at least.” He laughs nervously, sitting up off of me the rest of the way, and takes his cock into his hand. He glances down, a grin forming, and then meets my gaze. “Wanna taste?”

“N-not exactly—” I giggle as he grabs me, making me sit up, my eyes dipping to his cock, now _right_ in front of my face. “You mean my blood.”

“Yeah. Go on—” He watches me, his grin reforming when I take ahold of him. “ _You love blood._ ”

I blush again. _I forgot about that._ I can’t help but laugh, meeting his gaze again. “You’re the one that helped me _develop_ that taste.” I take a breath, bringing him into my mouth again, the taste of my blood mixed with _both_ our fluids sending a shiver through me.

“ _Watching you destroy our enemies is fun_.” His tone sends _another_ chill through my blood, and he smirks when my eyes dip up and our gazes meet. “We should do that again—”

I smile, drawing him as deep as I can into my throat in reply, moaning when I hear his groan. _I was 11, but he let me join him for that battle, anyway._ I suck a little harder, biting down as I recall the fight, the noise he makes painting another blush on my face.

“ _Ohh, do that again—_ ”

I giggle, and then bite again, fidgeting at that noise that slides out of him. _I was just copying him—he tasted the blood, so I did, too._ I’m about to bite again, but he pulls away from me, pushing me back down on the bed again. “Lucio—”

He groans, stroking himself a couple of times, and then releases across my body, gazing down with a grin at the mess of his seed splattered up my front. “You are so _gorgeous_.” He lowers himself down, lapping it up, working up my body until his lips meet mine again, pressing in for a deep, passionate kiss. “ _You’re mine._ ”

I nod, a little dazed, wrapping my arms around him as he flops onto his side. “ _Always_.” I snuggle in, smiling as his warmth wraps around me. _I wouldn’t mind staying like this forever..._ I’m about to doze off when he pulls away, forcing me to sit up. “ _Hey—!_ ”

“I wanna snuggle, too, but we’ve gotta get cleaned up.”

“Right...” I huff, letting him pull me out of bed, my entire body still screaming with pain and exhaustion. “ _I just wanna sleep for a century..._ ” I follow him into my bath, my eyes lighting up when I see it again—I’d forgotten just how _amazing_ it is, the stonework made of magical thunder marble, the black stone streaked with glowing blue veins, the metal all solid gold—Nadia’s bath is touted as the ‘second best’, after Lucio’s, but... _Mine was the true second best_. I grin, and then look up to Lucio. _I forgot how much he used to spoil me._

“Why’re you grinning? It’s filthier than _mine_ is, after all this time.”

“That’s easy enough to take care of, though...” I giggle, stumbling a little when I pull out of his arms, dropping to my knees in front of the pool. “The question is whether or not it can still heat up...”

“I don’t even know how that _works_ , don’t ask me—”

“It’s magic.” I smirk up at him, slapping my hand on the stone inside the pool, the blue veins flashing bright, lighting the entire room in their glow. “Just need water.”

“If you’ve got that handled...” Lucio winks, taking a step back. “I’ve gotta go get a few things from _my_ room.”

“Right, clothes.”

“Yeah. I’ll be back.” He turns away, opening another panel in the wall, and slipping through, leaving me alone in the glowing room.

I sigh, dropping down into the empty pool, and pace over to the faucet, inspecting it for a moment, using magic to pump the heavy handle, laughing as it cascades out over top of me. _I’m so glad I’m home again._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! There's only two chapters left, guys! Please enjoy it! Please tune in next Tuesday for the next installment! <3 The next chapter doesn't have a smut scene in it, but it takes a twist that leads to an _amazing_ one in the final chapter.


	5. Play The Devil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Violca gets a makeover, and then they and Lucio make their big debut, but the Devil's plans were still underway!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's no smut in this chapter, but it's a lot of required plot. Tune in next week for the final chapter and some smutty goodness~!

I try to hold still as Lucio slides the last of my new outfit onto me, but he didn’t let me _see_ it before beginning to dress me, and I’m getting impatient. I have _no idea_ what I even look like—my hair has been cut and curled, my legs and underarms waxed, my entire body scrubbed clean, but he’s refused to let me near the mirror. “ _I better not be a mess._ ”

“Hush, I’m almost done, just your makeup—and then you can do _mine_.” He winks again, a drip of water from his still-damp hair dripping down his cheek when he does. “We’ve got to look _stunning_ when we step into the ballroom, darling.”

“When can I _look_ at myself?”

“In just—” He pauses, drawing out the word as he swipes the brush under my eye, and then grins. “ _There_. Now you can go look.”

I pop up off of the bench the _moment_ he says that, hurrying over to the full-length mirror beside the closet. I blink a few times—the person reflected back isn’t _me_. My head is a little less than half-shaved, my hair swept to the right and curled where it falls down my shoulder, and my _clothes_. My clothes are red, gold, and black—a red leather vest with gold zippers and studs, a silken black corset that _emphasises_ my breasts underneath... Black pants that split down the fronts of the legs, laced up like a corset, and boots that match my new vest. I just _stare_ , until Lucio comes up behind me, wrapping around me with a grin.

“You like it?”

“I—” I pause, watching as he slides a pendant around my neck—the gem is in my old blue, matching my eyeshadow and earring, and the chain is gold. “ _You_...” I reach up, touching the gem, staring at his reflection. “You had all _this_ prepared for when I came back...?”

“Well, yeah...”

“Even though you know my colour is blue?”

“ _You’re mine_.” His tone makes me blush, but before I can question him, he squeezes me, whispering in my ear. “ _Just by coming back, you’re telling me that._ ” He grasps my right hand, lifting it so we’re both staring at my tattoo. “ _You_ made _yourself_ mine.”

My eyes lock on the goat tattoo—a poorly drawn recreation of his goatsona in a few different portraits around the palace. I’d drawn it on and sealed it with magic when I was 13, an act of rebellion against my aunt and uncle, when they said I’d never get to see Lucio again. “I—I can’t help it.”

“You had my goat tattooed onto you.”

“I did it with magic.” I giggle, biting my lip when he brings it up, kissing it softly. “I should remove it and redo it, I was just a _kid_ when I drew that.”

“You drew it...? With your _left_ hand...?” He stares at it again, his thumb stroking over the ink. “You’re not left-handed.”

“That’s part of why it’s so bad.” I grin, turning in his arms, pressing my hands to his bare chest as I gaze into his eyes. “I can have a professional redraw it, and just seal it down again.” I press up the couple of inches that I need to, pressing my lips to his. “ _I want my own goat_.”

“ _You have me._ ”

I burst into laughter again, stealing another kiss. “I mean like yours, in the paintings.”

“ _After we take over the world, my darling._ ” He kisses me, this time, pulling me tight to his front, and then sighs, tipping his forehead against mine. “After tonight, you can have _anything_ that you want.”

“There’s not many hours left, you know.”

“I know. Hurry and get me done up so we can get out there!” He grins, pushing his makeup into my hands, and then backs away, plopping down on the bench.

Valdemar is in the hall waiting when we step out of my room—they’re just _standing in the dark_. “It took you long enough. The Master is getting impatient.”

“He can bite me.” Lucio winks, pulling me closer to him. “How long have you been standing here...?”

“Long enough.” They turn, heading back through the dark hall, their heels clicking softly.

I stare, and then look up at Lucio. “Well?”

“Let’s go.” He pulls me under his arm, leading me down the hall after Valdemar. When we get to the stairs, though, he’s ripped away from me, flying backward into the dark again.

“Lucio!?”

“Agh—” He spits, and then laughs. “Mercedes! Melchior!”

I summon an orb of light, laughing at the sight of him barreled over on the ground, the dogs licking his face. “They missed you.” I watch for a moment, and then kneel down, poking at the red gem on Melchior’s collar. “ _Now_ I get it.”

“Get...?”

“How they’re still around.”

“Ah—yeah. Their my babies, I didn’t wanna lose them— _agh—!_ ” He’s cut off by Mercedes, her tongue lolling across his face again. “Okay, _up!_ Daddy’s got a big night tonight! You’re _smudging my makeup!_ ”

I laugh again, my face going red. “I _forgot_ that you call yourself that...” I grasp his hand, helping him pull away from them, but he grins when he sees my cheeks.

“ _Ohh_ —you’ve got a _daddy complex—_ ”

“I do not!” I blush harder, poking his smudged eyeliner. “I’ve never even _had_ a father.”

“ _Doesn’t mean you don’t still—_ ”

“The Master _is_ waiting, you know.”

We stare at one another for a moment, and then glance down the stairs, our eyes landing on a patiently impatient Valdemar.

“Jeez, we’re coming.” Lucio frowns, pulling out a small mirror. “Vi—”

“I’ve got it.” I sigh, licking my thumb and wiping the smudged makeup away, and then take his pencil, fixing the lines. “I’ll have to find a damn spell to make this stuff waterproof.”

“That would be a good idea...” He takes his stuff back, and then dips in to steal a kiss, grinning at me. “This is going to be so fun. No one’s expecting us to come back, _again_.”

“No one’ll be expecting _me_ to be with _you_.” I laugh, letting him pull me down the stairs.

When we arrive at the ballroom, we’re at the upper entrance, the one that leads to the balconies and stairs. We stride inside, following Valdemar, waiting on one of the balconies overlooking the entire dance floor.

“ _I wanna dance with you._ ”

“That’ll have to wait.” I smile, looking up into his eyes. “But I _do_ know a spell that’ll give us that grand entrance you like so much.”

“Oh?” He watches me, and _just_ as Valdemar’s gathered the crowd’s attention, I snap my fingers, grinning up at him. We appear in a vibrant cloud of red smoke at the head of the stairs, gazing down at the crowd as their eyes snap up onto us. Lucio grins, tugging me close under his arm, and raises his other, the gold glinting as he waves it. “You didn’t think I was _gone_ , did you?”

I giggle as he winks, my eyes sweeping the crowd, instantly finding the small gathering of Nadia, a few of her sisters, Asra, Julian, and Portia. All of them are _staring_ at us, but Asra is the one that’s the _most_ shocked—his eyes lock with mine, a look of sheer horror filling his. I grin down, and then glance up at Lucio, just as we begin the descent down the stairs.

“Oh come on, now! Your beloved Count is back! Quit—quit that!” He scowls, his eye twitching as half of the guests begin running away again. “ _Stop running from me!_ ”

“This is a prank, right? A magic trick?” One of the guests is staring at us, someone vaguely familiar, a servant, I think, although it’s hard to tell through the mask. They look to Nadia and Asra, and then back at Lucio and I. “I—” And then they flee, just like everyone else.

“Vi—” Asra steps forward a single step, and then freezes, pulling his mask off. “I thought—how are you— _why are you with him!?_ ”

I glare at him. “Why?” I glance up at Lucio, smirking as I look to Asra. “To make _you_ ask questions.” I giggle, leaning into Lucio’s side, my eyes dipping to Nadia—she’s glaring through her mask, but she manages to retain her calm as she steps up beside Asra.

“What have you done to my magician, Lucio?”

“Your? Since when were they _yours_ , Noddy?” He smirks, too, his teeth glinting in the light. “ _They’re mine_.”

“Vi, I thought you were dead—” Asra finally manages to speak again, his eyes glimmering with a mixture of relief, fear, hatred, and confusion. “Why!? Why _him!?_ ”

“You _know_ why, Asra.” I stare at him, not even wasting the energy on a glare. “You thought you could keep me away from him, keep me for _yourself_.”

“I didn’t—”

“What kind of spell have you placed on them?” Nadia removes her mask, now, her glare sharp on Lucio. “This is sick, even for you.”

“Spell. You think _I_ cast a spell?” He laughs, and then snaps his fingers, letting a shower of flaming sparks rain to the floor before us. “ _That_ is the limit of my magic, Noddy, I haven’t done a thing. There is no _spell_.” He looks down at me, reaching to grasp my chin. “ _This is where they belong._ ”

Everyone else is watching, speechless, keeping their distance, and when I glance over everyone again, meeting their gazes, I _know_ they realise it. My gaze lands on Asra once more, locking with his, my chin still in Lucio’s golden fingers.

“Vi— _you have the plague—_ ”

“Had.” I turn, pressing my back to Lucio’s chest, smiling when his arms wrap around me. “You’d _never_ guess what the cure is.”

“It’s—” Asra stops, his eyes drifting to Julian, who hesitantly speaks up.

“It’s killing _him_.”

I laugh, tilting my head to meet Lucio’s gaze. “I don’t know about _that_ , but that’s certainly not my case.” I look over everyone again.

“Vi, snap out of it, get _away_ from him!”

“No, Asra! I’m _done_ jumping to your commands! I _remember_ , now. _Everything_.”

“You—you remember...?”

I go to reply, but I feel a tug in my chest—as my eyes widen, I realise that everyone else present felt it, too, and my eyes dart to Valdemar, standing with the other courtiers, a smirk on their face. _What the hell plans were they talking about?_

“The Master is done waiting. It’s time.” Valdemar’s cold, soft voice sounds so _loud_ with how quiet it just got, and as they walk away, it feels like something’s _pulling me_ , in the same direction they’re headed.

I shiver, unable to fight it, unable to stop myself, barely able to force myself to turn enough to look to Lucio. _What is this!?_ I ask with my eyes, and he shakes his head, just as clueless as I am. I swallow, summoning my magic through my blood, a shield that manages to break whatever hold has been placed over me, and then extend it to Lucio, shrinking against him as we watch everyone else pulled deeper into the palace.

“How’d you—”

“It’s a shield, but... I don’t know how long I can hold it for _both_ of us...” I look up at him, narrowing my eyes slightly. “You don’t know _anything_ about what’s happening?”

“No! If I knew, I’d tell you!”

“We should keep following them.” I glance back toward where everyone else had disappeared, and then look around—the palace feels nearly _abandoned_ , now, there aren’t any guests in the immediate area, the ballroom is vacant, and the last few people around were just spirited away. “This is the Devil’s doing, right?”

“I—yeah. He’s probably waiting for us...”

“Then let’s go meet him.” I smirk, grabbing his hand, and follow the path that everyone else took—right up to our wing, to Lucio’s room. I pause at the doorway, glancing back at him—I know what this is. I remember from when I’d died before—I saw the whole thing. “Lucio, this is the ritual...”

“What?”

“How much _do_ you remember from that night?”

“I—uh, n-not really much of anything, exactly. I remember some of the party... And then going to bed... And then being on _fire_...” He shudders, glancing into his room. “I’m going to have to _completely_ remodel this room, it’s all gross now.”

I can’t help but laugh, tugging him into his room, and then press the button to open the door behind the painting. “Worry about renovations later. Let’s go get this damn ritual over with.” I pull him through the door, and we walk through the dark passage until we’re in the dining room, faced with 21 people, both familiar and not, as well as the Devil, standing behind the _one_ vacant seat left at the head of the table.

“Well, Lucio. Took you long enough. Come, have a seat. Or, would you rather your little _pet_ do the honours?”

I glare at him, and then look back at Lucio—he was about to step forward, though his eyes remain locked on a familiar woman, someone that he vaguely resembles. “ _Lucio, don’t—_ ” I whisper, keeping myself in front of him. _Whatever the game is, I’d rather be the one in that seat, if it’s dangerous._ I glance over the _guests_ , my eyes falling on that same woman he’s staring at. _I know her._

Her eyes meet mine, a pleading look, as if to say _run_ , but she doesn’t say anything, _none_ of the guests do.

 _Can they even talk? I couldn’t until I put the shield up..._ I step forward, only glancing back when Lucio grabs my wrist. “Lucio—”

“Vi—”

“I’m not letting _you_ get hurt.” I tug my wrist away, ignoring the nagging in my heart as I step forward. “What’s the game?”

“Game? My dear, there is no _game_. Just a simple little spell, nothing major. Come, take a seat.”

“Vi, don’t—”

I ignore him, pacing across the room, and glare right at the Devil. “I don’t give a _damn_ about anything else, as long as Lucio is unharmed.”

“Are you trying to make a _deal?_ ”

“If I have to fulfil this end of your desires, then like _hell_ I’m not going to add in my own terms.”

“Clever. _Too_ clever.” He frowns, his claws sinking into my shoulder as he shoves me into the chair. “Very well. _He’ll live._ ” He waves his hand after I’m seated, a fancy spread of delicacies and fine wine appearing on the table before us.

I look up at Lucio, but he’s just staring at me, _betrayed_ , his eyes darting between me and that woman, and then to everyone else, the beginnings of a plan forming visible in his eyes. _Just save yourself._ I feel that compulsion again, like back in the ballroom, and this time, I can’t do _anything_ to stop it—at the same time as everyone else, I pick up the glass of wine before me, raising it to my lips...

And an apple smacks into it, shattering it and spilling the contents—the same with that woman’s glass. Lucio’s standing at the other end of the table, another apple in his hand, which he chucks at the Devil—it bounces harmlessly off of his shoulder, although a glare forms in his eyes.

“What the hell is the meaning of this, Lucio? These were _your_ plans, too—”

“The hell they were, I don’t even know what the fuck you’re doing—” He reaches under the table, his hand coming back with a sword tightly in his grasp. “This wasn’t the deal.”

“Put that toy _away_ , Lucio—”

“Fuck you.” He jumps up on the table, kicking the food away, and then charges down the length of it, toward the Devil. “ _No one touches my things._ ” He drives the sword through the Devil’s head, twisting it before slicing through. “ _Not even you_.”

The Devil stumbles back, a black mass of magic swirling where he’d been cut. “How _dare_ you.”

“ _Dare this—_ ” Lucio lunges forward, his golden claws ripping into the Devil’s chest, yanking out a shining, black, gemstone-like core, the Devil poofing into a black mist and then fading away. “ _Bastard._ ”

The compulsion breaks, and the first thing I do is grin, my eyes locking on Lucio’s as he stares at the core in his hand. “Lucio—”

“I—” He looks up, smirking at me, but it’s hollow. “What the hell do I do with this...?”

“You fool boy.”

He turns, looking at that woman, a glare forming in his eyes. “Mother. What the hell are _you_ doing here!?”

“Nothing of my _own_ volition.” She narrows her eyes, holding her hand out to her side, a spear flying in from seemingly nowhere finding a home in her grasp. “You don’t even grasp what you’ve just done, _do you?_ ”

“Done...?” He blinks, glancing down at the core, and then to me. “I—”

“You moron, you killed the _Devil—!_ ” Asra steps toward us, fear mixed into his glare, his eyes on the core in Lucio’s hand. “That’s—” He’s cut off by a loud rumble, and then the entire world starts to shake. “ _The realms are going to destroy themselves!_ ”

“What!?” His hand balls into a fist over the core, his eyes darting between the three of us, and then to Nadia when _she_ steps over, once she’s ushered a few others out of the room.

“You really _don’t_ think before you act, do you?”

“Well what would _you_ have done, Noddy!?” He steps back, beside me when I stand up, glancing back down to the core again. “What the hell was I—” He cuts off, staring at it.

“Lucio...?”

“I—” He lifts it up, staring at it. “Did you hear that?”

“Hear _what?_ ” I squint, but the only thing I hear aside from the rumbling is the few of us left in the room.

He shakes his head, hesitating, and then glances up at all of us, his gaze going slowly over each remaining person. “I—” He looks back at it, bringing it to his chest in a protective hold. “I’m _not_ doing this for _any_ of _you_ —” He glares at everyone else, his gaze softening when he looks down at me. “ _Maybe_ for you...”

“Montag, what are you—” Before she finishes speaking, he’s shoving the core against his heart, and a bright, red flash fills the room.

I shield my eyes with my arm, stepping back a little, and then find myself being pulled away, wrapped in Lucio’s mother’s arms. _Why do I feel like I know her!?_ I glance up at her, but she’s glaring toward her son. “ _Why do I know you!?_ ”

“ _We can talk later—_ ” She hisses, twisting me away just as an explosion fills the room.

When the air clears, and I can _finally_ pull myself away from her, I stand, turning toward where Lucio had been, _half_ expecting him to be gone—but instead, my eyes land on some kind of fusion of Lucio and the Devil, his long hair swaying gently in the breeze from the explosion. My jaw drops a little, my heart doing a flip. _Holy fuck_.

He’s staring at his hands, and then his eyes lift, landing on me. “Vi—”

I run across the space between us, laughing as I dive into his arms. “What the hell did you just do!?”

“I, uh, I think I became the Devil.” He laughs, too, easily sweeping me off of my feet, spinning me around as he hugs me, kissing me as he sets me back down. “ _I’ve never felt so powerful—_ ”

“You’re so _tall_ now!” I stare up at him, fully grasping the change now that I’m closer to him—he’s easily a foot or two taller, although half of that height is his new horns, and his eyes are black and red, the beautiful silver-grey nowhere to be seen, but the way he looks makes my insides do flips. “ _I want you_.” I whisper, my cheeks turning red.

He chuckles, sweeping me under his arm, his eyes falling on his mother, and then shifting between Nadia and Asra. “This means I’m a god now, right?”

“Montag, you dumbass.” His mother groans, palming her face. “What have you _done_ to yourself!?”

He looks himself over again, and then tugs me into his side, smirking over at her. “I dunno, I think I look pretty damn good like this. And hey, that weird rumbling stopped!”

She glares at him, and then points her spear toward his heart. “Damn you, boy—was _this_ the whole reason you murdered your—”

“My _what?_ My _father?_ You’re going to bring _him_ into this?”

“That’s what this has _always_ been about!” She snarls, stepping closer, until her spear’s tip rests against his skin. “The only reason I don’t kill you _now_ is because I don’t _want_ to become a _monster_ like you have.”

I step in front of him, pushing her spear away, glaring at her. “You’d kill him over that sick fuck?”

“What—”

“We just spent some... _Quality time_... With the old man.” Lucio pulls me closer, his eyes locking on his mother’s. “He’s _not_ who you remember.” His hold on me tightens, and when I look up, he meets my gaze, obviously remembering what had occurred not too long ago.

I shudder, closing my eyes, and then look to his mother, my hand lifting over my heart, my eyes drifting to the same spot. “If I’d had a heart, I wouldn’t _be here_ , right now.”

“ _That_ is what you took from _everything_ he did to you!?” Lucio squeezes me, and then picks me up, settling me so I’m sitting on his demonic left arm. “ _No one touches you like that._ ”

I shift, glancing away. “I’d rather not remember _that_ part. Being ripped open is a _lot_ easier to think about.” I laugh, and then look down at his mother again—she’s staring at me, hurt and confused. “Why do I know you?”

“Because I helped raise you for the first four years of your life—I delivered you into this world.”

“What?” Both Lucio and I speak at the same time, and then look at one another.

“Mama, I—I knew you were helping Rosie, but—”

“You know, now?”

“Yeah. We, uh, we met _her_ , too... When we died.” He stares down at her, and then shifts me closer to him. “You _knew_. This whole time you _knew_ that Vi was her kid...?”

“Does it matter?” She looks to me, her eyes shifting to gold on black, and then she frowns. “She’s not with you anymore.”

“No. We left her in Death’s realm. She’s gone, now.”

She reaches up to me, her fingers brushing across my cheek. “You don’t remember my name, do you?”

I stare at her, trying to remember, but end up shaking my head. “I recognise you, I remember seeing you...”

“It’s Morga.” She smiles, just for me—it turns into a scowl again when her eyes lift to Lucio. “If you hurt them, Montag, I will—”

“You’ll _what?_ Kill _me?_ The _Devil?_ ” He laughs, tipping his head against mine. “They’re _mine_ , Mama.”

Beside us, someone clears their throat—Nadia—and I realise that her and Asra have, in fact, been here this whole time. _Oops._

“He really hasn’t enchanted you or anything? You are choosing him of your own free will?”

I nod, meeting Nadia’s gaze. “I’ve known him my entire life. He doesn’t _need_ any spell for that.” I look between her and a somewhat heartbroken Asra. “You didn’t _want_ me remembering him—”

“I just wanted you to be able to live your life! Pining after a man twice your age was—”

“It wasn’t your _choice!_ ” I glare, sliding down off of Lucio’s arm, and walk up to Asra. “I made a choice a _long_ time ago, and I made it again, today. You can’t control me anymore—”

“I wasn’t trying to!”

“Then why—”

“Because as much as I love you, I wanted you to be able to find _happiness_ —he was _dead!_ Even _if_ you were to have remembered...”

My glare softens, and I just stare at him. “It still shouldn’t have been your choice. I’m staying here, with Lucio.”

“Do you hate me, now, Vi?”

I shake my head, exhaling a soft huff. “No, Asra. I don’t. You’re still my friend... You still helped me out when we were kids...” I glance away, staring at the ruins of the dinner table at our feet. “If you can get over your _hatred_ of him... You _have_ your parents back, now...”

“I—” He stares, sighing when our gazes meet. “I don’t know if I can, Vi. I’m sorry.” He closes his eyes, and then turns away, walking out of the room without another word.

I watch him, my heart and expression sinking more with each step he takes, and then look to Nadia—she’s frowning, but she tries to smile when her gaze meets mine.

“If you can put up with him, then you are more than welcome to. I have _better_ things to deal with than...” She shifts her gaze, glancing at Lucio, and then exhales, shaking her head. “Than _him_.”

“Hey!” Lucio steps forward, his hooves loud against the tile. “You act like we—”

“I don’t _know_ you, do not act as if you know me.”

“We were _married_ , Noddy, I _do—_ ”

She cuts him off with a glare. “I don’t remember _any_ of that time, and I am most certainly _not_ the woman I was during it. Do not assume to know anything about me. Just stay out of my way, and _don’t_ interfere with how I rule my city.” She holds her glare for a moment more, and then turns on her heel, gliding out of the room. “ _I’ve got enough messes to clean up from you..._ ”

We stare after her, and before I can turn around, I find myself being scooped onto Lucio’s arm again. I look up at him, and then down at Morga. “Are you going to get all mad and then storm out, too?”

“No.” She sighs, narrowing her eyes as she looks up at us. “If I must be honest, I made my peace long ago. But I will be sticking around— _I don’t trust you, Montag._ ”

“Hey! I’m a _god_ now! You can trust me!”

“Just because you cannot _lie_ does not mean you can’t still be deceitful. _Someone_ must keep an eye on you.”

“What about me!?” I pout, but she smirks at me.

“You have too foolish a heart to keep this boy out of trouble.” She chuckles, turning away. “I will be around. Do not think you can hide from me.”

We watch her leave, and once we’re alone, I find myself pinned against the wall, Lucio’s lips on mine. I wrap my arms around his neck, smiling as his tongue presses between my lips, and then laugh, my hands threading into his long locks. _He’s still my Lucio._

“Ohh, I want you so bad...”

“Then let’s go—my room’s just down the hall.” I wink, and I’m close enough to feel the chill that runs through him when I do.

“ _You are a little devil._ ”

“ _You’re one to talk._ ” I giggle, nuzzling in when he scoops me up again. “If you got this much taller...” I hesitate, trailing my fingers idly down his chest. “ _Did you get bigger elsewhere?_ ”

He giggles, pressing a kiss to the top of my head. “I guess you’ll have to wait and see, won’t you?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's only one chapter left, now! Thank you for reading, guys! I hope you're enjoying it! <3


	6. Dealing In Eternity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Violca and Lucio have a little _fun_ with his new demonic form, and then they give their heart and soul to him before setting out to claim the world...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ohh my god, sorry, guys! Yesterday was hectic and I totally forgot it was even Tuesday until just a few minutes ago! A day late is better than never though! Here's the final chapter of Returning Desires, I hope you all enjoy it, and _please_ don't be afraid to leave a comment! <3
> 
> For this demon Lucio, imagine the one from Muriel's route. <3 Just, taller.

The halls are _completely_ abandoned as we make our way out of Lucio’s room, and still just as dark as always—except this time, his eyes _glow_. I stare up at him, blushing when that glowing, red gaze meets mine, and I _know_ he can tell by the sharp, toothy smirk that spreads across his face.

“You like what you see?”

I giggle, grinning as I thread my fingers in his hair. “Of course. _It’s you_.” I pull myself closer, teasing a kiss, my lips _just_ brushing his. “ _I didn’t realise you could get any hotter._ ”

He smirks again, stealing the teased kiss, and then nips my lip, his sharp teeth drawing blood. “ _If I’d known I could become a god, I’d have done it sooner._ ” He kisses me again, his hand winding to the back of my head, refusing to let me part, drawing me deeper, hungrily claiming me as his. “ _I am going to fuck you until you forget how to walk._ ”

I realise we’re outside my room _just_ as he says that, and I bite my lip, trying not to fidget, his promise sending twitches between my legs. “ _I’ll hold you to that._ ”

He chuckles, popping the painting open, but he has to set me down in order to squeeze into the room. “This’ll be the last time you can stand for a while— _enjoy it_.”

I laugh, watching as he bumps his horns against the door casing. “I think we’re going to need bigger doors.”

“It was fine _before_ —” He cuts off, staring down at me from within my room. “These doors are big—”

“You’re about six inches too tall with those new horns of yours.” I step through, reaching up toward them, although I’m quite a bit too short, even on my toes, to reach. “So _tall_.”

He stoops down, scooping me up, and then flings me over his shoulder, carrying me across the room. “You can hold onto them while I’m fucking you—”

“Did you get _hornier_ now that you have horns again?” I can’t help it, I laugh again, clutching at his back just before he throws me down onto the bed, and then gaze up at him with a smirk.

“ _Your jokes are terrible._ ”

“ _So are yours._ ” I snicker, holding his gaze, and then wink. “ _I learnt from the best._ ” I gasp when his hands come down on my waist, his claws sinking into my skin, my spine arching as he pulls on me.

“I _forgot_ how _smart mouthed_ you are.” He grins, leaning in to my throat, his teeth scraping across it. “ _I like it._ ” He bites, not hard enough to hurt me, but hard enough to draw little beads of blood—I can feel them roll down my neck as he stands back up, clawing at the golden zipper holding my vest on. “Strip. I don’t want to ruin this outfit.”

“I _like_ when you’re bossy.” I reach up, my hand finding the zipper, and slowly tug it down, letting my vest fall open, the corset still between him and my flesh. “I’ll have to get up again to finish, you know.” I begin unbuttoning my corset, my eyes on his as each button pops free.

“ _You won’t have to get up._ ” He stares down, his claw trailing down my skin with each inch exposed. “Move faster!”

“You should be taking your _own_ clothes off.” I grin, letting my corset fall open, and then reach up, tugging on the fabric of his cape. “ _Good luck getting them off around that new arm._ ”

He blanks for a moment, and then looks over at his arm. “ _Fuck that._ ” He grins, ripping the fabric off of himself, letting the ruined shreds fall to the floor. “I’ll just get new ones made.” His eyes drift down, his claw lowering to the tie of my pants. “Hurry up and get naked already, I wanna fuck you.”

I laugh, fidgeting under his gaze and touch. “But it’s so _fun_ to tease you.” I sigh dramatically, and then laugh again, tugging the tie open, and then grasp the waistband, trying to fidget free of the fabric. “This is _not_ easy to do like this—” I scrunch my face up, sitting up once my pants are to my knees, and then pull everything off, tossing it to the floor. “Now yours.”

Lucio giggles, sliding his own pants off of himself. “ _Finally!_ You seriously don’t get what it feels like to have all this _power_ swirling around inside you—” He dives on me, pinning me to the bed, his eyes raking over me. “ _I need to burn some of it off—_ ” He sits up, his eyes narrowing. “Do _not_ move unless I say to.”

I grin as he releases me, waiting until his hands are on my thighs before I shift my wrists, reaching up toward him—I barely get my hand an inch from the pillow before his is on them again, his claws sinking in, drawing a cry from me.

“ _I said, don’t move._ ”

“What _fun_ is it if I don’t?”

“ _You’re right._ ” He lets go again, pulling me down closer to him, and takes his cock in his hand. “ _I love making you bleed._ ”

I stare down at his cock, though, his words going right over my head—he’s _definitely_ bigger than he was before, the size of his hard length putting a hot blush on my cheeks as I bite my lip. “ _I dunno if you’re gonna fit..._ ”

“I’ll fit.” He winks, brushing the head against me. “ _You’re already so wet..._ ” He teases me, running the tip along my flesh, drawing out little moans each time he presses just the very top inside of me. “This is gonna feel _amazing._ ”

“ _Hurry up—_ ” I whine, reaching down to touch his cock. “ _I need you—_ ”

“ _Need?_ ” He pushes the tip inside me, smirking at the sound I make. “ _Does that hurt?_ ”

“Y-yes—” I gasp as he pushes harder, my body tensing. “Y-your cock is as big as my damn leg—”

“Maybe not _that_ big...” He laughs, pulling out again, pulling my leg in front of him. “ _Oh, not quite... Maybe more like your arm...?_ ”

“ _See!?_ ” I’m still red as I stare down at him, but I can’t help it when I begin to fidget, the space between my legs all but screaming for his touch. “ _Hurry up...!_ ”

“Okay then—” He drops my leg, repositioning himself, and then pushes the tip back in—he waits a moment, and then he thrusts his entire length into me, as hard as he can.

I scream, scrabbling at the blankets beneath me, and then sob, which turns into a laugh as he begins thrusting. “I—I _have_ to be bleeding now—” I moan, cutting myself off, the sound laced with tiny sobs. “ _Lucio—_ ”

“ _You’re so fucking tiny—so fucking tight—_ ” He groans, his claws sinking into my hips, his thrusts growing quicker, penetrating as deep as he can. “ _Fuck—_ ” He watches his next thrust, slowing down to try and push deeper, cackling at the cry it rips from my lips.

“Y-you’re gonna break me—”

“I won’t—” He pushes harder, grinning at the visible bulge in my stomach. “ _You’re definitely ruined for anyone else, now._ ”

“ _L-like I’d want to be with anyone but you—_ ” I moan, whining out the painful pleasure as he pulls back out. “ _Don’t stop—_ ”

“ _I wasn’t planning on it_ —” He thrusts back into me, leaning forward to press his lips to mine. “ _I love watching you writhe underneath me._ ” He pushes in, his tongue curling around mine, his demonic hand sliding up around my throat. “Tonight, I conquer _you_ — _tomorrow_ , the _world!_ ” He laughs, kissing me again, and then squeezes, choking me just hard enough that I can hear my heartbeat. “Are you afraid?”

I stare at him—I can’t answer, and I can’t move my neck. I can’t breathe, and only when my eyes close does he relent his tight grasp. I huff, placing my hand over his, and then stare up at him again. “ _Not of you_.” I smile, although it’s wiped off my face with his next thrust, and I clench my teeth, squeaking at the pain. “I-it’s gonna take some time to get used to this—”

“What, _fucking?_ ” He thrusts again, delighting in the sound that it rips from me. “ _We’ve done this, what, six times, now?_ ”

I laugh, although _that_ gets cut off, too. “You’re a _giant_ , now, you doof— _ahh—_ ” I sink my nails into his hand, the feeling spinning inside me beginning to make me spasm. “I— _Lucio—_ ” I twitch as his claws rake down my sides, my body screaming a level of ecstasy I’ve never even _imagined_.

He trails one hand between my legs, his thumb spiraling over my clit as his thrusts pick up both depth and pace, his chuckle turning into a delighted moan. “ _You’re not gonna make two, are you?_ ”

I shake my head, squeaking as his motion cuts off, his cock buried as deep as he can get it inside me. I sigh out a moan, closing my eyes as my head falls back onto the pillow, enjoying the final throes as his warmth spills inside me. “I-it’s only been a few hours since the first time...” I whimper, peeking up at him as he shifts, ripping his cock out of me, letting the remaining fluid spill across my body. I stare as it slides down my sides, and then meet his gaze, my smile returning. _Less than five hours ago, we were strangers—enemies..._

“Don’t fall asleep yet—”

I groan, lifting my gaze again—he’s trailing his finger across me, through his seed, a soft little smile of his own playing at his lips. “What are you planning now...?” I watch as he sinks his claw in, leaving a little red line from my side to my heart, a small squeak leaving me at the pain.

“I just...” He stares, sinking his claw in a little deeper. “You’re so _fragile_...”

“We can’t _all_ become gods.” I laugh, grabbing his wrist, trying to pull him down, but he shakes his head, not budging. “Lucio...”

“You can’t die again, you heard Valdemar.”

“It’ll happen someday, you know.” I hate the idea, myself, but it’s true, nonetheless.

“No.” He lifts his gaze, his red eyes burning into mine. “Make a deal with me.”

“A... You want me to make a _deal?_ ”

“Yes.” He smirks, pulling his claw out of the wound he caused, pressing his palm flat over top of it. “I can do that now—I can make you live _forever_. I can make you immortal, infallible, _perfect_.”

I stare up at him, processing that— _I could be with him forever_. “What exactly do you have in mind?” My voice comes out a _lot_ softer than I’d expected, my heart doing a flip in my chest.

“ _You_ agree to be _mine_ , give me your heart and soul, _literally_ , and I’ll keep you by my side for _eternity_ , you can’t die if you’re bound to me.”

I shiver, but I don’t even think twice before nodding. “Yes. They’re yours, _I’m_ yours—” I barely get the words out of my mouth before his hand plunges into my chest, scalding-hot chains leaping out from around his wrist to bind me in place. I can’t speak, I can’t move, I can’t do _anything_ except watch as he rips my heart out—watch as it beats in his palm, blood gushing over top of me, across him, _everywhere_.

“ _You’re mine_.” He smirks, squeezing my heart—it disappears in a poof of red smoke, and the hole in my chest seals shut, the chains binding me lightening, the weight disappearing as they vanish from sight. “ _Forever_.” He presses his palm over where my heart had been, satisfaction in his eyes, and when he lifts his hand, there’s a mark, a spiral of black, almost like ink, etched onto my skin. “Ohh, _that’s_ _cool._ ”

I just stare—at my chest, at _him_ —I feel _different_ , but I’m not sure how to explain it. I’m hesitant to even say anything, my eyes locking with his after a moment more, and a chill runs through me as his claws trail down my skin.

“ _That_ felt _amazing._ ” He chuckles, leaning down to lick the mixture of my blood and his seed off of my body. “I didn’t realise the _rush_ making deals would give...! So much _power!_ _Ohh, I want more..._ ”

My lips quirk up, and I slowly lift my hands, twining my fingers into his hair. “ _That’s your job, now, isn’t it?_ ”

“Yeah— _yeah!_ It is!” He grins up at me, and then pushes in for a kiss, all but devouring me as his blood-stained lips press to mine. “ _I’m glad you were the first._ ”

I giggle, my body beginning to complain, exhaustion settling in. “ _Me too..._ ”

“Ah—Vi—”

“ _Lie down with me..._ ” I slide my hand onto his cheek, smiling as he flops down beside me, and then roll into his arms. “ _We’ll go conquer the world after I wake up..._ ” I mumble, my eyes fluttering closed.

He presses a kiss to my hair, his legs wrapping with mine as he pulls me close. “ _And after a bath._ ” He nuzzles in, his next words _almost_ lost on me as sleep begins pulling me under. “ _I love you._ ”

I wake up alone—for a minute I think that _maybe_ everything was a dream, some weird, freaky dream, but when I glance around, I’m _definitely_ in my room in the palace, covered in scrapes and bruises, my entire body aching.

“You’re finally awake?”

I jump, glancing across the room—Lucio’s reclined in a chair, the sun beaming onto his bare skin, just _watching_ me. “D-did you even sleep...?”

“Oddly enough, I don’t think I _need_ to, anymore.” He smirks, his eyes dipping down to my breasts when I sit up. “I don’t think I’m technically _alive_.”

“You’re an Arcana, now.” I slide out of bed, instantly falling to my knees when I try to stand. “Wha—”

Lucio laughs, prying himself out of his seat. “I _told_ you that you wouldn’t be able to walk.”

“I—you did...” I pout, trying to push myself up, but find myself wrapped in his arms, being carried across the room. “I can barely even _feel_ my legs...”

“You’ll be fine.” He nuzzles into my hair, and then sets me in the bath, the water already warm. “I had new clothes made already.”

“So quickly?”

“I think they use some kind of magic, I dunno.” He winks, settling in beside me, although his added weight makes the water slosh over the edges. “After we’re done here... You wanna go take a blood bath?”

I blush, laughing as I lean against him. “You’re really serious.”

“Of course I am. Now that I’ve got all this power, why should I stop with just one city? I can take over the whole _country_ , the _continent!_ And from there, the rest of the world!”

My insides do a hungry little flip at the idea. “Is my sword still here?”

“I dunno, but...” He waves his hand, a shiny, new sword, a golden hilt with a ruby set in the pommel appearing in his grasp. “I can just give you a new one.”

“Holy fuck—” I stare, reaching for the handle. “Do I have to make a _deal_ for _that_ , too?”

“Nah—I can spoil you a little.” He grins, pulling it out of my reach. “ _But it wouldn’t hurt if you wanted to have a little fun, first_.”

“Not gonna let me _heal_ , first?” I bump my shoulder against him, and then stay there, leaning into his side. “How can we take over the world if I can’t _move?_ ”

“Good point... But we can still have _some_ fun...” He gets a glint in his eye as he speaks, and before I can ask, he takes a breath, diving under the water.

“Lucio!” I stare, and then giggle as he spreads my legs, settling his face between them, a blush spreading across my face as his tongue slides out across my clit. “ _Ohh—_ ” I fidget, staring down at him, wrapping my hands around his horns. _I thought he’d have me doing something—_ my thought is cut off as another moan slides out of me, and I slump down in the water, relaxing in his hands as he works. _He must not really need to breathe, either—_

His fingers slide inside me, his claws teasing the swollen, delicate flesh, and he laughs as I flinch, the water bubbling with it before he comes back to the surface, his fingers working magic where his mouth had just been. “Enjoying this?”

“ _Y-yes—_ ” I huff, releasing his horns as he rises higher than I can reach in my current position. “ _Faster—_ ” I smirk, reaching for his wrist, my fingers brushing the soft, white fur as he obliges my command. I groan as he scratches me, nearly panting as I approach my peak. “ _Lucio—_ ”

His smirk sharpens, his sharp teeth glinting as he gazes down at me, watching my body spasm in his hold, and around his hand. He doesn’t wait for my muscles to calm before ripping his hand out, threading it in my hair and dunking me under the water.

I stare for a moment, and then flail, panicking— _I can’t breathe—!_ I grasp at his hand, and when he lets go, I come back up to hear him laughing. “Don’t tell me you _still_ can’t swim?”

“I—I never—” I frown, pushing myself up to my feet, still a little wobbly, and then smirk at him.

“Ohh, what are _you_ planning?”

I dive on him, knocking him back into the water, taking as deep a breath as I can before we’re submerged, and then slide down, rubbing myself against his cock. _If he can torment me, I can torment him._ I grin at him through the water, his eyes glowing through the waves as he watches my every move. _I wonder just how much becoming the Devil has changed him?_ But I can’t hold my breath for much longer, and despite trying, I have to surface for air, thankful that my bath is only waist-deep.

“Maybe _that_ should be a deal you make.”

“Huh?”

“To breathe underwater, or, maybe to just not need to breathe.” He winks, staring at me as he reclines on his arms. “I _think_ I could do that.”

“And _what_ , pray tell, would I be giving in _exchange?_ ” I slide over, settling in his lap again, bringing my hands onto his cheeks, and my lips a breath from his. “ _My lungs?_ ”

“ _It’d be a start. Until every piece of you is mine._ ”

“ _I’m already yours. Every last bit of me._ ” I press in for the kiss, rocking my hips against his hard length. “ _If I can’t die, I can’t drown, it’s just an instinctual reaction._ ” I smile, and then kiss him again, harder, this time, groaning when he thrusts his hips against mine.

“ _True enough._ ” Lucio’s arms wrap around me, and he slides us under the water again, holding me to him until my breath escapes me, and then gazes at me, squeezing me tight until my panic subsides.

 _I really can’t die._ I smile—my lungs are burning, filling with water, but I’m not drowning, I’m not _dying_. I allow myself to relax, snuggling down against him, slowly rocking my hips against him as he pets my back. _He can’t hurt me, I just have to get used to it._

He shifts, his free hand sliding down to his cock, pressing the tip of it between my legs, and then slowly sliding it in—I still ache from last night, but I don’t fight it. He leans in, his teeth sinking into my throat, his hands sliding onto my hips to guide my motion against him.

 _This feels amazing._ I rock against him, clawing at his chest, groaning as his claws sink into my flesh, moving slowly with him, through his peak, and then my own, falling limp in his arms once I’ve spent my energy again. _I’m his._

He sits us up, allowing actual air to push the water back out of my lungs, and then kisses me, working his hands over my body, washing away the filth from last night’s passion. “ _I have another present for you when we’re done here, too._ ”

“More than the sword?”

“ _Better_ than the sword.”

I fidget as his fingers dance over my skin, trailing up to my throat. “ _Tell me—_ ”

“I can do better than _that_.” He grins, a golden sparkle in his hand, a gold trinket inlaid with a ruby appearing in his palm. “That is _so_ cool—I can just _make_ this stuff...!”

I blush, my eyes scanning over the trinket—it’s a _collar_. The metalwork looks delicate, but despite appearances, it’s overflowing with magic— _that is no ordinary collar._

“You like it?” He dangles it on one finger, his sharp teeth flashing when I nod. “Hold still—” He clasps it in place around my neck, and then presses his thumb gently to the ruby, until blood drips down my chest. “ _Proof that you’re mine._ ”

“What did you just do?” I blink down, touching the ruby, myself, but all it does is shimmer softly.

“Some magic thing—no one can take that off of you, now.”

I giggle, threading my finger through the loop below the gem. “And what is _this_ for?”

“ _That_ is what’ll make it more _fun_.” He threads his claw through it beside my finger, tugging me closer to him, leaning in until his lips brush against mine. “ _On your knees._ ”

I shiver, shifting until I’m sitting on my knees, and then gaze up at him. It’s obvious what he wants—I grin, taking his cock into my hands, and press my lips to the tip, sucking softly, swirling my tongue around it. It’s too big to fit in my mouth, now, but I try to make up for it by bringing a spark of magic to my tongue and fingertips, a small jolt of electricity surging from my skin.

He groans, his hands threading into my hair, his eyes following my every movement as I work along his length. “I don’t know what you’re doing, but... _Do it more—_ ”

I zap him a little harder, giggling at the sound he makes, and then take as much of the head into my mouth as I can, keeping the buzzing on my tongue as I lap at the tip. I moan against him when his claws sink into my scalp, and then squeak—my tongue is flooded with a salty warmth, and my grasp on his cock tightens as I try to swallow as much as I can, the rest sliding down my front.

“ _Damn, Vi—_ ” He chuckles, pulling out of my mouth, his hands sliding down to my ass as he scoops me into his arms. “ _Was that magic?_ ”

“Yes—” I squeak again when his tongue slides across the corner of my mouth, shivering as he licks his way down my body, lapping up his fluids from my skin. “ _Y-you like that too much—_ ”

“It’s _delicious_ , why should I waste it?”

I turn red, laughing as I lean back away from him, as his tongue swirls around my nipples. “We have a world to conquer, don’t we?”

“You’re right—it’s not going to conquer itself—” He bites softly, and then sets me back in the water, his hands roaming over me as he washes my skin off again. “ _Wait until we win our first battle_.” He grins, and then dunks me under the water, his claws massaging through my hair before he pulls me back up. “ _It’s invigorating to fuck on the battlefield after a hard-won fight_.”

I swallow, staring at him, my cheeks still painted red. “ _On_ the battlefield...?”

“Yeah. _I foresee plenty of victory fucks in the future_.” He laughs, pulling me against him, his demonic hand coming to my cheek. “You’ll _love_ it, trust me. _All the adrenaline, all the_ _blood, mm—!_ ”

I grin, squirming away from him, and climb out of the bath. “We can’t fulfil that little fantasy of yours if we don’t get going. Come on.”

“Right—yeah—” Lucio watches as I grab a towel, and then leans on his elbows, still in the water. “ _You’re so gorgeous..._ ”

I turn to face him again, hugging the towel to my chest, a blush accompanying the smile that forms on my lips. It slips into a grin as I wrap the towel around me, and I pad back over, dropping to my knees so that I’m closer to his current level, and then grasp his horns, pressing my forehead to his. “ _I love you._ ”

His hands slide to my back, and he steals a kiss, letting it linger as his tongue dances with mine.

I pull away, his claws sinking into my skin letting me know that it’s an unwelcome move, but I giggle as I stand, pacing over to the mirror to finish getting ready.

Once we’re dried and dressed, my makeup re-done, and a new red knee-length vest with brown fur trim is wrapped around me, we march out of my room, side-by-side, swords in hand. _Today, the country, tomorrow, the world_. We look at one another, ignoring the terrified servants as we stride through the doors.

“You ready, Vi?”

I grin up at him, nodding my reply. “For _anything_ , as long as you’re here.” I’m about to giggle, but we’re thrown back by an invisible barrier when we reach the front gate, unable to leave the palace. “Except maybe that.”

“Fuck.” He stares, hopping to his hooves and swinging his sword through the air, whatever’s holding us in barely wobbling from the disturbance. “What the _fuck?_ ”

I try going forward by myself, but my collar glows, pulling me back toward Lucio, sending a little jolt through my body. “ _Ow—_ ” I look up at him, and we turn back toward the palace, a group of smirking faces meeting our gazes. As I listen to them snicker, I realise what happened— _we’re bound to the palace, we can’t leave._ My eyes drift to the only face that isn’t amused, my cheeks going red at the disappointment in her eyes.

“ _I’ll kill all of them—_ ”

I grab Lucio’s wrist as he steps forward, shaking my head. “I’ll figure it out, just ignore them.” I wink, stepping a little closer. “ _We don’t have to conquer the world to have fun._ ”

“ _Ohh_ , you _devious_ little magician, you—” He smirks, scooping me onto his arm, and then strides back toward the palace, a glare on his face scaring most of the onlookers away. “Laugh while you can, that won’t hold us forever.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for sticking through this to the end! <3 This is it, you've reached the finale~! If there's enough interest I *might* continue it, but it *is* complete as it is.
> 
> If you enjoyed this, please head on over and read Violca's official story, Lacunae! <3 You won't regret it~ (Just have patience with it~)

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! There will be more! I've written this series entirely, and will post one chapter a week until all six chapters are published!  
> Stay tuned for the next update! The story takes a twist you'll never imagine!  
> And please tune in to my other works! Lacunae is Violca's canon story, and definitely worth a read to get to know them better! I also have other stories I'm working on, as well!  
> And again, thank you for reading! <3


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